Response to "Comment on 'Theoretical analysis of numerical aperture increasing lens microscopy'" [J. Appl. Phys. 97, 053105 (2005)]

We have identified that there is a small error in the original paper by Ippolito [J. Appl. Phys. 97, 053105 (2005)] and we express our thanks to the authors of the comment for bringing it to our attention. However, the comment by Sheppard and Huat [J. Appl. Phys. 100, 086108 (2006)] has misinterpretations that lead to erroneous conclusions. We disagree with the statement of the comment that the conclusions on planar interface would carry through to the case of a numerical aperture increasing lens (NAIL). Our model calculates the wave aberration and provides valuable insight to the limitations of spatial resolution in the case of NAIL imaging and its dependence on various parameters, whereas angular spectrum method is not applicable to a spherical interface. The only significant error by Ippolito is limited to an incorrect plot of Phi(040) although the correct equation is given in the article. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.