The generation of transition radiation resulting from the passage of relativistic charged particles through a periodic structure can produce intense and highly directional x rays. An optimization analysis accounting for material properties, multiple scattering, and statistical random errors in foil thicknesses is used to design an x-ray emitter. The results demonstrate that transition radiation sources can be comparable in brightness to synchrotron emitters.

Soft x-rays (2 to 6 keV) have been observed from transition radiators using electrons at energies of 104 and 66 MeV. The observed spectra agree well with theory. Various stacks of mylar of 2.5, 3.5 and 6.35 μm thickness were used to produce the radiation. Optimum foil thicknesses and number were calculated and found experimentally to be correct.

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