Monte Carlo simulation of bremsstrahlung emission by electrons

An algorithm for the simulation of bremsstrahlung emission by fast electrons using numerical cross sections is described. It is based on natural factorization of the double-differential cross section and on the fact that the intrinsic angular distribution of photons with a given energy can be very closely approximated by a Lorentz-boosted dipole distribution. The parameters of this angular distribution vary smoothly with the atomic number of the target atom and with the energies of the projectile’s electron and the photon emitted. Results from simulations of thick-target bremsstrahlung are compared with experimental data.