Particle beam apparatus with moveable object stage

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program code that is able to be loaded into a processor unit of a particle beam apparatus and that, when executed, controls the particle beam apparatus, the program code comprising:

• executable code that provides first structure data and second structure data, wherein the first structure data includes information about at least one first surface arrangement of a first device within the particle beam apparatus, wherein the second structure data includes information about at least one second surface arrangement of at least one second device within the particle beam apparatus, wherein the first structure data and/or the second structure data includes information about at least one transformation of the first device and/or of the at least one second device, and wherein providing the first structure data and the second structure data includes retrieval from a storage unit for the particle beam apparatus, a user of the particle beam apparatus making an input into a control unit of the particle beam apparatus using an input unit, and/or recording the first structure data and/or the second structure data using at least one detector and/or at least one sensor of the particle beam apparatus;
• executable code that determines a target arrangement for the first device using the control unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• executable code that provides at least one movement path of the first device to reach the target arrangement for the first device using a processor unit;
• executable code that models the movement path of the first device within the particle beam apparatus using a processor unit, wherein the first structure data, the second structure data and the target arrangement for the first device are used in the modelling;
• executable code that carries out a check, using the processor unit, to determine whether the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device, when carrying out a movement process of the first device along the modelled movement path either have at least one common point or are at a shortest distance, wherein the shortest distance is smaller than a predefinable minimum distance, and wherein the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device do not have a common point;
• executable code that, in response to the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device having the at least one common point when carrying out the movement process of the first device along the modelled movement path, performs at least one of the following:
• displays a message on a display unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• discards or aborts the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards or switches the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path to a further movement process;
• carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device;
• changes a speed of the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using the movement device to move the first device;
• executable code that, in response to a first location of the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and a second location of the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device being at the shortest distance when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, wherein the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device do not have the common point when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, performs at least one of the following:
• displays a message on a display unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or changing a speed of the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or aborting the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or switching the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path to a further movement process;
• carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device;
• and
• executable code that, in response to a first location of the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and a second location of the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device being at a longer distance when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, wherein the longer distance is greater than or identical to the predefinable minimum distance, carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device.

A system, comprising:

• a storage unit that stores structure data;
• and
• a particle beam apparatus that images, processes and/or analyzes an object, the particle beam apparatus including at least one beam generator that generates at least one particle beam having charged particles, at least one guide device that guides, shapes and/or focuses the particle beam having charged particles onto the object, a first device and at least one second device, at least one movement device that moves the first device at least one control unit that accepts input of the structure data, at least one processor unit, and a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the processor and containing program code that, when executed by the processor, controls the particle beam apparatus, the program code comprising:
• executable code that provides first structure data and second structure data, wherein the first structure data includes information about at least one first surface arrangement of a first device within the particle beam apparatus, wherein the second structure data includes information about at least one second surface arrangement of at least one second device within the particle beam apparatus, wherein the first structure data and/or the second structure data includes information about at least one transformation of the first device and/or of the at least one second device, and wherein providing the first structure data and the second structure data includes retrieval from a storage unit for the particle beam apparatus, a user of the particle beam apparatus making an input into a control unit of the particle beam apparatus using an input unit, and/or recording the first structure data and/or the second structure data using at least one detector and/or at least one sensor of the particle beam apparatus;
• executable code that determines a target arrangement for the first device using the control unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• executable code that provides at least one movement path of the first device to reach the target arrangement for the first device using a processor unit;
• executable code that models the movement path of the first device within the particle beam apparatus using a processor unit, wherein the first structure data, the second structure data and the target arrangement for the first device are used in the modelling;
• executable code that carries out a check, using the processor unit, to determine whether the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device, when carrying out a movement process of the first device along the modelled movement path either have at least one common point or are at a shortest distance, wherein the shortest distance is smaller than a predefinable minimum distance, and wherein the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device do not have a common point;
• executable code that, in response to the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device having the at least one common point when carrying out the movement process of the first device along the modelled movement path, performs at least one of the following:
• displays a message on a display unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• discards or aborts the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards or switches the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path to a further movement process;
• carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device;
• changes a speed of the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using the movement device to move the first device;
• executable code that, in response to a first location of the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and a second location of the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device being at the shortest distance when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, wherein the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device do not have the common point when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, performs at least one of the following:
• displays a message on a display unit of the particle beam apparatus;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or changing a speed of the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or aborting the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path;
• discards the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path or switching the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path to a further movement process;
• carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device;
• and
• executable code that, in response to a first location of the at least one first surface arrangement of the first device and a second location of the at least one second surface arrangement of the at least one second device being at a longer distance when carrying out the movement process along the modelled movement path, wherein the longer distance is greater than or identical to the predefinable minimum distance, carries out the movement process of the first device along the provided movement path using a movement device to move the first device.