Method of operating a particle beam microscope and a particle beam microscope

摘要

A method of operating a particle beam microscope comprises: (a) directing a particle beam onto a sample and detecting particles emanating from the sample during a first period (T1) for generating an image of the sample; (b1) generating electrons having a first distribution p 1 ( E ) of kinetic energies and directing these electrons onto the sample during a second period (T2) for reducing a charge of the sample being generated while the directing the particle beam onto the sample; and (b2) generating electrons having a second distribution p 2 ( E ) of their kinetic energies and directing these electrons onto the sample during a third period (T3) for further reducing the charge of the sample being generated while the directing of the particle beam onto the sample; wherein an average value of the kinetic energy of the first distribution of the kinetic energy is greater than an average value of the kinetic energy of the second distribution of kinetic energies.