A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software which is loadable into a processor and which, when executed, causes a particle beam apparatus to perform the following steps:
- generating a particle beam using a beam generator of the particle beam apparatus, the particle beam having charged particles;
- selecting at least one value of at least one control parameter for controlling at least one functional unit of the particle beam apparatus using a control device;
- controlling the functional unit with the value of the control parameter using the control device of the particle beam apparatus, wherein the particle beam is guided along a first beam path of the particle beam apparatus from the beam generator in the direction of the object;
- guiding the particle beam to a location of a scanning region on the surface of the object using a first guide device provided for guiding the particle beam and a second guide device provided for guiding the particle beam, wherein, as viewed from the beam generator in the direction of the object, the first guide device is arranged on and/or in the particle beam apparatus first, followed by the second guide device, wherein the first guide device guides the particle beam away from an optical axis of the particle beam apparatus at a first angle to the optical axis, wherein the second guide device guides the particle beam in a direction of the optical axis at a second angle to the optical axis, wherein, when guiding the particle beam to the location, the first angle runs through a first predeterminable value range and the second angle runs through a second predeterminable value range;
- detecting first interaction particles and/or a first interaction radiation using at least one detector, wherein the first interaction particles and/or the first interaction radiation result/results from an interaction of the particle beam with the object when the particle beam is incident on the object;
- generating first detection signals using the detected first interaction particles and/or the detected first interaction radiation;
- generating a first image of the object using the first detection signals and using the control device;
- selecting at least one value of a further control parameter for controlling the functional unit;
- controlling the functional unit with the value of the further control parameter using the control device, wherein the particle beam is guided along a second beam path of the particle beam apparatus from the beam generator in the direction of the object;
- guiding the particle beam to the location on the surface of the object using the first guide device and the second guide device, wherein the first guide device guides the particle beam away from the optical axis at a third angle to the optical axis, wherein the second guide device guides the particle beam in the direction of the optical axis at a fourth angle to the optical axis, wherein, when guiding the particle beam to the location, the third angle runs through a third predeterminable value range and the fourth angle runs through a fourth predeterminable value range;
- detecting second interaction particles and/or a second interaction radiation using the detector, wherein the second interaction particles and/or the second interaction radiation result/results from an interaction of the particle beam with the object when the particle beam is incident on the object;
- generating second detection signals using the detected second interaction particles and/or the detected second interaction radiation;
- generating a second image of the object using the second detection signals and using the control device;
- and
- setting, using the control device, the size and/or shape of an opening and/or position of an aperture unit of the particle beam apparatus, and/or at least one electrostatic and/or magnetic deflection unit of the particle beam apparatus for displacing the scanning region such that a first irradiation direction of the particle beam in the direction of the location on the surface of the object corresponds to a second irradiation direction of the particle beam in the direction of the location on the surface of the object, wherein the first irradiation direction is ascertained from the first image and wherein the second irradiation direction is ascertained from the second image.