Transition radiation

Theoretical description, properties and applications of the radiation produced by a charged particle, passing through the interface between two different dielectric media, is given. Equations for normal and oblique incidence, and for the vacuum-medium transition are described. The case of non relativistic limit, the length of formation zone, as well as the Wartski interferometer formulas are considered. Results for ultra-relativistic charged particles with a multifoil radiator and an X-ray detector are presented. The forward and backward radiation case, the transition radiation produced by a single foil and by a periodic radiator are described. The procedure to optimize the parameters of a detector device is given