Consideration of the Continuum x-ray background in 50-300 keV protons on thick targets of Ge, Ho, and Au

We consider the continuum bremsstrahlung spectrum from the bombardment of Ge, Ho, and Au thick targets with protons from 50 to 300 keV. Two sources of the bremsstrahlung are considered. First is the bremsstrahlung from secondary electrons ejected from the target atoms in binary collisions with the projectile proton. The main contribution from secondary electrons is expected to come from collisions with inner-shell electrons that have significant momentum. The second process is polarization bremsstrahlung, the radiation from the target atom as it is dynamically polarized by the projectile charge. The data are compared with the secondary electron bremsstrahlung model developed here and with calculations of polarization bremsstrahlung