Figure 3.

Typical X-ray source parameters, available support infrastructure and system costs (operation as well as acquisition/development) are depicted qualitatively for synchrotrons, ICS and X-ray tubes (subdivided into micro-focus tubes and rotating anodes). The combination of synchrotron-like radiation, especially in terms of energy range, spectral bandwidth and X-ray beam divergence, with easy access is unique to inverse Compton sources. Therefore, applications at ICSs should rely on them ideally.