A charged particle device is provided comprising a charged particle source
configured to direct charged particles in the direction of a specimen
under examination and an imaging device configured to convert charged
particles to an image representing the specimen. The imaging device
comprises a detector defining a pixel array. The detector is configured
to generate electric charges for individual pixels of the pixel array
such that the electric charges collectively define the image. The imaging
device is configured such that a portion of the pixel array can be
transitioned between a partially masked state and a substantially
unmasked state.