Particle beam device and method for analyzing and/or treating an object

A method for analyzing or treating an object using a particle beam device, the particle beam device including:

• an optical axis;
• at least one particle beam generator for generating a particle beam;
• at least a first electrode unit, the first electrode unit including at least a first electrode apparatus, at least a second electrode apparatus, and at least a third electrode apparatus, wherein, arranged in the direction of an object, starting from the particle beam generator along the optical axis, firstly is the first electrode apparatus, subsequently is the second electrode apparatus, and again subsequently is the third electrode apparatus, wherein the first electrode apparatus lies at a first potential and extracts particles from the particle beam generator, wherein the second electrode apparatus lies at a variable second potential, and wherein the third electrode apparatus lies at the first potential;
• at least a second electrode unit, the second electrode unit including at least a fourth electrode apparatus, at least a fifth electrode apparatus, and at least a sixth electrode apparatus, wherein, arranged in the direction of an object, starting from the third electrode apparatus along the optical axis, firstly is the fourth electrode apparatus, subsequently is the fifth electrode apparatus, and again subsequently is the sixth electrode apparatus, wherein the fourth electrode apparatus lies at the first potential and wherein the fifth electrode apparatus lies at a variable third potential;
• and
• at least one acceleration unit for accelerating the particle beam, the acceleration unit including at least a first acceleration apparatus and at least a second acceleration apparatus, wherein, arranged in the direction of an object, starting from the second electrode unit along the optical axis, firstly is the first acceleration apparatus, and subsequently is the second acceleration apparatus, wherein the first acceleration apparatus lies at a fourth potential, and wherein the second acceleration apparatus lies at a fifth potential;
• the method comprising:
• generating a particle beam using the particle beam generator;
• focusing the particle beam in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis or onto the optical axis using the first electrode unit by selecting the second potential;
• and
• focusing the particle beam on a predeterminable point on the optical axis by selecting the third potential,
• wherein the first electrode unit generates a first crossover of the particle beam and the second electrode unit generates a second crossover of the particle beam, wherein the first electrode unit, via selection of the variable second potential., focuses the particle beam onto a specific geometrically fixed plane of the first crossover, and wherein the fifth electrode apparatus, via selection of the variable third potential and with the fifth electrode apparatus lying at the variable third potential, focuses the particle beam on the predeterminable point on the optical axis and positions the second crossover of the particle beam on the optical axis wherein a position of the second crossover is adjustable independently of an overall voltage of the at least one acceleration unit and the first potential.