8.03 – Inverse Compton Scattering Sources

Since 1963, inverse Compton scattering (ICS) sources have been developed with electron accelerators and optical lasers at many research institutes and universities around the world due to their many advantageous characteristics. Recently, ICS x-ray sources have been applied to medical and biological uses such as a phase-contrast imaging and a K-edge imaging. In this chapter, the author describes the generation principle and gives an overview of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology ICS x-ray source. Examples of applications to medicine and biology are also described, such as an observation of bone disease and an angiography with the ICS x-ray source.