Studies of total bremsstrahlung spectra in the oxides of lanthanides

Total bremsstrahlung spectral photon distribution generated in thick targets of oxides of lanthanides (Pr6O11, Gd2O3, Tb4O7 and Er2O3) by 89Sr beta particles has been investigated in the photon energy region 1-100 keV. The experimental results are compared with the theory describing ordinary bremsstrahlung and the theory which includes polarization bremsstrahlung into ordinary bremsstrahlung in stripped approximation. It has been found that contribution of polarization bremsstrahlung into total bremsstrahlung in a target is limited to a low energy region only and also varies with the effective atomic number (Zeff) of target material. Further, it has been found that the suppression of polarization bremsstrahlung has been observed due to the presence of large fraction of low Z element oxygen in the compounds.