Electron polarimetry with bremsstrahlung

Due to the spin-orbit interaction, the electron scattering from the nucleus is sensitive to the spin orientation of that electron. This is used for polarimetry of electron beams in the Mott method. The spin-orbit interaction was also observed in bremsstrahlung. In this article we analyze its potential for polarimetry as an alternative to the Mott method. It can simultaneously measure all three electron polarization components. It should work in the energy range of 50 keV up to several MeV and can be applied at beam intensities higher than 100 nA. It needs a thin heavy element target, two or four x-ray detectors and one x-ray linear polarimeter.