Angular dependence of the photon linear polarization in the elementary process of atomic-field bremsstrahlung

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Abstract
In an electron-photon coincidence experiment, the angular dependence of the photon linear polarization in the elementary process of atomic-field bremsstrahlung was measured for a fixed direction of the outgoing electron and for coplanar geometry. An electron beam of 300 keV was used, incident on a carbon target. It has been found that for photon-emission angles with large cross section the radiation is almost completely polarized with the electric vector in the reaction plane. A strong decrease of the polarization caused by electron spin-flip radiation was observed for a photon-emission angle near the minimum of the cross section. Within the experimental errors we find agreement with theoretical calculations.