Patent ID: 7598497

Claim:
A charged particle beam scanning method for scanning a charged particle beam such that scan-line interval is enlarged when a sample is scanned with said charged particle beam in a two-dimensional manner, and forming image of said sample whose magnification in a scan-line interval direction becomes lower than whose magnification in a scan-line direction, said charged particle beam scanning method, comprising the steps of: calculating value based on magnification ratio between desired magnification in said scan-line interval direction and desired magnification in said scan-line direction, calculating a first calculated scan signal by multiplying a scan signal in said scan-line interval direction or in said scan-line direction by said value based on said magnification ratio between said magnification in said scan-line interval direction and said magnification in said scan-line direction, carrying out a calculation for rotating scan direction with respect to said first calculated scan signal, and calculating second calculated scan signals in said scan-line interval direction and in said scan-line direction so that magnification ratio with respect to a scan signal becomes said desired magnification ratio, said scan signal resulting from carrying out said calculation for rotating said scan direction.