受衍射极限的限制，传统光学显微镜的分辨率只能达到入射光波长的一半。超分辨显微镜已有很多，但制作工艺复杂，适用样品有限，对成像条件要求苛刻，因此应用受到很多限制。研究表明，将直径为几微米至几十微米的透明电介质微球置于样品表面，能显著提高传统光学显微镜的分辨能力，在白光下即可实现超分辨成像，与其他类型显微镜结合使用时也能保持超分辨能力。这种新型透镜为纳米结构和生物样本的实时超分辨成像提供了一种简单、直接的方式。结合本课题组研究结果，介绍并总结了国内外微球透镜的研究进展。

The resolution of the conventional optical microscope is limited to about half of the incident wavelength because of diffraction limit. Although the super-resolution imaging is realized in many microscopes, their widespread applications are limited due to their complicated design, limited applicable samples and stringent requirement on imaging conditions. Recent researches show that the resolving ability of conventional optical microscopes can be improved significantly when the transparent dielectric microspheres with diameters from several to decades of microns are added on the sample surface, and thus super-resolution imaging with white light illumination is realized. The microspheres can keep their resolving ability when coupled with other types of microscopes. The microsphere nanoscope offers a simple direct way to realize real-time super-resolution imaging for nano-structures and biological samples. We review the research progress in the microsphere nanoscope at home and abroad with our own achievements combined.