An x-ray backscatter apparatus (10/100/109) for non-destructive inspection of a part, the apparatus comprising: a base; an x-ray emitter coupled to the base, comprising: an x-ray shield, comprising an emission aperture; a vacuum tube within the x-ray shield; a cathode enclosed within the vacuum tube and selectively operable to generate an electron emission; and an anode, enclosed within the vacuum tube and located relative to the cathode, to receive the electron emission and convert the electron emission from the cathode to a hard x-ray emission, and located relative to the emission aperture to direct at least a portion of the hard x-ray emission through the emission aperture; an inspection filter movably coupled to the base and selectively operable to receive the hard x-ray emission from the x-ray emitter and pass at least a portion of the hard x-ray emission through a filter aperture in the inspection filter to a selectable location on the part; and a zone plate, external to the x-ray shield and located relative to the emission aperture, to receive the portion of the hard x-ray emission from the emission aperture of the x-ray shield and to focus the portion of the hard x-ray emission received from the emission aperture into a focused hard x-ray emission, wherein the zone plate is interposed between the x-ray emitter and the inspection filter, wherein the zone plate is configured to direct the focused x-ray emission toward the filter aperture of the inspection filter, wherein the zone plate is configured to modify at least portion of the received x-rays emission to a convergent mode from a divergent mode. a base; an x-ray emitter coupled to the base, comprising: an x-ray shield, comprising an emission aperture; a vacuum tube within the x-ray shield; a cathode enclosed within the vacuum tube and selectively operable to generate an electron emission; and an anode, enclosed within the vacuum tube and located relative to the cathode, to receive the electron emission and convert the electron emission from the cathode to a hard x-ray emission, and located relative to the emission aperture to direct at least a portion of the hard x-ray emission through the emission aperture; an x-ray shield, comprising an emission aperture; a vacuum tube within the x-ray shield; a cathode enclosed within the vacuum tube and selectively operable to generate an electron emission; and an anode, enclosed within the vacuum tube and located relative to the cathode, to receive the electron emission and convert the electron emission from the cathode to a hard x-ray emission, and located relative to the emission aperture to direct at least a portion of the hard x-ray emission through the emission aperture; an inspection filter movably coupled to the base and selectively operable to receive the hard x-ray emission from the x-ray emitter and pass at least a portion of the hard x-ray emission through a filter aperture in the inspection filter to a selectable location on the part; and a zone plate, external to the x-ray shield and located relative to the emission aperture, to receive the portion of the hard x-ray emission from the emission aperture of the x-ray shield and to focus the portion of the hard x-ray emission received from the emission aperture into a focused hard x-ray emission, wherein the zone plate is interposed between the x-ray emitter and the inspection filter, wherein the zone plate is configured to direct the focused x-ray emission toward the filter aperture of the inspection filter, wherein the zone plate is configured to modify at least portion of the received x-rays emission to a convergent mode from a divergent mode.