Preventing esd in prt sem discharges

A method for monitoring a charge state of a sample, comprising:

• detecting a process parameter associated with the charge state of the sample, and wherein the process parameter was recorded by a scanning electron microscope, SEM, a scanning probe microscope, SPM, and/or an x-ray detector;
• determining the charge state of the sample at least partly on the basis of the process parameter;
• and
• initiating a method for influencing the charge state of the sample if a predetermined charge threshold value of the sample is exceeded.

A method for influencing a charge state of a sample, comprising:

• directing a charged particle beam onto the sample for the purpose of analyzing and/or processing the sample, wherein the particles of the particle beam are accelerated onto the sample by a first acceleration voltage and result in charging of the sample;
• and
• directing the charged particle beam onto the sample N times for the purpose of influencing the charging of the sample, wherein the particles of the particle beam are accelerated onto the sample by a respective second to (N+1)-th acceleration voltage, wherein:
• N is greater than or equal to two;
• and
• the second acceleration voltage amounts to at least 15% of the first acceleration voltage;
• wherein the second acceleration voltage differs from the first acceleration voltage.