The characteristic spectrum

1-4 The characteristic spectrum. When the voltage on an x-ray tube is raised above a certain critical value, characteristic of the target metal, sharp intensity maxima appear at certain wavelengths, superimposed on the continuous spectrum. Since they are so narrow and since their wave¬lengths are characteristic of the target metal used, they are called charac¬teristic lines. These lines fall into several sets, referred to as K, L, M, etc., in the order of increasing wavelength, all the lines together forming the characteristic spectrum of the metal used as the target. For a molyb¬denum target the K lines have wavelengths of about 0.7A, the L lines about 5A, and the M lines still higher wavelengths. Ordinarily only the K lines are useful in x-ray diffraction, the longer-wavelength lines being too easily absorbed. There are several lines in the K set,
. When the voltage on an x-ray tube is raised above a certain critical value, characteristic of the target metal, sharp intensity maxima appear at certain wavelengths, superimposed on the continuous spectrum. Since they are so narrow and since their wave¬lengths are characteristic of the target metal used, they are called charac¬teristic lines. These lines fall into several sets, referred to as K, L, M, etc., in the order of increasing wavelength, all the lines together forming the characteristic spectrum of the metal used as the target. For a molyb¬denum target the K lines have wavelengths of about 0.7A, the L lines about 5A, and the M lines still higher wavelengths. Ordinarily only the K lines are useful in x-ray diffraction, the longer-wavelength lines being too easily absorbed. There are several lines in the K set,