Patent ID: 9251997
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: H01J

Claim Text:
1. A method for processing and/or observing an object using at least one particle beam, in which the at least one particle beam is scanned over the object, the method comprising: determining a scan region on the object, the scan region having a multiplicity of scan lines; moving the particle beam within the scan region in a first scanning direction along one of the multiplicity of scan lines; and changing the first scanning direction into a second scanning direction at a change-of-direction time, wherein changing the first scanning direction into the second scanning direction comprises a setting of a point of rotation in the scan line of the scan region in which the at least one particle beam is situated at the change-of-direction time while scanning the particle beam within the scan region, with an axis of rotation extending through the point of rotation, and wherein the first scanning direction is changed into the second scanning direction by rotating the scan region about the axis of rotation, with the point of rotation being selected dependent on the direction of rotation that is selected such that scanning points of the scan lines in the scan region are further away from a target region of the object after the rotation of the scan region than scanning points of the scan line which were scanned by the particle beam before rotation of the scan region.