In this paper we present a new method to increase the lateral resolution available in laser scanning failure analysis tools. By fabricating a diffractive lens on the back side of the die, the area of the circuit of interest, directly underneath the lens, may be studied with a lateral resolution up to 3.5 times better than without the lens. This method is easily implemented with standard equipment already present in most failure analysis laboratories, and overcomes some significant problems encountered with alternative resolution enhancing schemes