Rayleigh to Compton ratio with monochromatic radiation from an X-ray tube (preliminary results)

Results on the Rayleigh to Compton ratio (R/C) for elements and compounds with low atomic number (5 ⩽ Z ⩽ 12) are presented. These materials are difficult to identify and characterize with other radiological techniques because of their very close linear attenuation coefficients. A transportable setup for R/C measurements was assembled and tested. This comprises an X-ray tube, in which the output radiation is partially “converted” to monochromatic radiation emitted by a secondary target. The experimental results are compared with theory, determined through coherent and incoherent scattering cross sections.