Designed in response to customer feedback, the SMAL AIR lens is an immersion free, non-destructive version of our Super-resolution Microsphere Amplifying Lens (SMAL).  

No, it is non-contact.

It is a standard white light LED.

We can typically resolve below 100 nm with white light. We can also ‘see’ some features down to around 50 nm, on certain samples.

Current state-of-the-art objective lenses offer a magnification of up to x150. SMAL AIR offers a magnification of around x230 to x240.

c. 200 nm

Best results are seen on Nanoro-M due to the dedicated design of its light source. However, these lenses have been used on other manual microscopes, so it is possible. Please talk to us if you have a specific question and we will be glad to help.

Yes, we have working with SamsungElectronics (Korea) who have kindly allowed us to quote their Dr Soonyang Kwon, Staff Engineer, Metrology & Inspection, “Lots of people are very satisfied with the performance of NANORO at Samsung Electronics, Korea.”

Instead of buying a new lens, as would be the case with other objective lenses, LIG is able to refurbish the SMAL AIR lens, saving you money and possibly time too

SMAL AIR is ideal for applications that require high resolution in environments where an immersion medium is not permitted.
- Semicon fabricator plants
- Semicon R&D facilities
- Semicon quality and analysis
- Advanced materials that are water soluble

Any flat/smooth, high-contrast sample. Good examples are polished geology/mineralogy samples and semiconductor wafers.

SMAL AIR has been used on several industry-leading microscopes, including Nikon, Leica and Sunny, as well as our own Nanoro-M. Further information is forthcoming. Please sign up to our newsletter for further updates.

Yes, please see our Technical Note#10 for description of exactly this topic.

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