Studies of polarization bremsstrahlung and ordinary bremsstrahlung from 89Sr beta particles in metallic targets in the photon energy region of 1–100 keV

•The total bremsstrahlung spectra from 89Sr beta particles in metallic targets were studied.•The measurements were taken in the photon energy regions of 1–100 keV with Si(Li) detector.•The contribution of PB into the total bremsstrahlung spectrum is limited to low-energy region.•SAA theory is applicable only at the low-energy regions of bremsstrahlung spectrum.•Screening effects on the production of bremsstrahlung at higher energy regions cannot be neglected.

Studies of polarization bremsstrahlung (PB) and ordinary bremsstrahlung (OB) produced by the 89Sr beta emitter in Al, Ti, Sn and Pb targets were undertaken at photon energies of 1–100 keV. The experimental results are compared with the Elwert corrected (non-relativistic) Bethe–Heitler (EBH) theory and the modified Elwert factor (relativistic) Bethe–Heitler (FmodFmod BH) theory for OB and with the Avdonina and Pratt (FmodFmod BH + PB) theory for total bremsstrahlung (BS). These results are in agreement with the FmodFmod BH + PB theory up to 13 keV, 16 keV, 22 keV and 28 keV energies for Al, Ti, Sn and Pb targets, respectively; FmodFmod BH theory is more accurate at higher energies.