Patent ID: 7807980

Claim:
A method for imaging a sample by use of a charged particle beam apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: imaging a test sample with a first magnification ratio sufficient for including polyhedral patterns formed the test sample within a viewing field by applying a charged particle beam to the test sample and by detecting secondary electrons generated from the test sample, the polyhedral patterns having a known shape; imaging each polyhedral pattern with a second magnification ratio which is higher than the first magnification ratio by sequentially moving and applying the charged particle beam; obtaining first relationships between a position irradiated with the charged particle beam within the viewing field and the beam landing angle for each of the polyhedral patterns using images obtained during the step of imaging each polyhedral pattern; obtaining second relationships between other positions within the viewing field and beam landing angles through interpolation; and imaging the sample by applying the charged particle beam to the sample with a pattern formed on the surface thereof to scan the sample while controlling beam incidence conditions of the charged particle beam to allow a beam landing angle to be maintained within a viewing field based on the first and second relationships.