Patent ID: 8853629

Claim:
A cross-section processing and observation method in which slice processing on a sample by irradiation of an ion beam to the sample to form a cross-section and acquisition of a cross-sectional image by irradiation of an electron beam to the cross-section are repeatedly performed, the method comprising: acquiring a surface image by scanning and irradiating a surface of the sample with the ion beam; setting, on the surface image, a first sliced region and a second sliced region for performing the slice processing, the second sliced region being adjacent to the first sliced region and having a longitudinal length obtained by subtracting a slice width of the second sliced region from a longitudinal length of the first sliced region; forming the cross-section by irradiating the first sliced region and the second sliced region with the ion beam; and acquiring the cross-sectional image by irradiating the cross-section with the electron beam.