Imaging with the Super-resolution Microsphere Amplifying Lens (SMAL) Nanoscope

The basic principle of the SMAL (Super-resolution Microsphere Amplifying Lens) imaging technology that we invented has its roots in the SMON (Submerged Microsphere Optical Nanoscope) pioneering work. SMAL is a novel objective lens whose front lens assembly contains a microsphere and is replaceable. We built a nanoscope prototype with nano XYZ scanning capability, which integrates a SMAL objective lens, allowing us to achieve super resolution imaging (70 nm - 90 nm). We have resolved large area scans (200 mu m x 200 mu m) by contactless sample scanning.