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. <EOS>