noun
- electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of charged particles, especially electrons, in matter or in an electric field.
Usage: physics; from German, literally 'braking radiation'
Examples
- When electrons are rapidly decelerated in a metal target, they produce bremsstrahlung X-rays.
- Bremsstrahlung is a key mechanism for X-ray generation in medical imaging devices.
- The intensity of bremsstrahlung radiation depends on the energy and charge of the incident particles.
- In particle accelerators, bremsstrahlung losses limit the maximum energy that can be achieved.
- Astronomers observe bremsstrahlung radiation from hot gas in galaxy clusters.