Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. Apparatus for inspecting a sample, said apparatus equipped with an optical microscope to observe the sample, and a charged particle column for producing a focused beam of charged particles to observe or modify the sample with said beam of charged particles,characterized in thatthe optical microscope is equipped to inspect the sample while it is mounted on a microscope slide, said microscope slide coated with a conductive layer,the charged particle column is equipped to inspect or modify the sample while it is mounted on the microscope slide, andthe conductive layer of the microscope slide is kept at a constant voltage while observing or modifying the sample with the beam of charged particles. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the constant voltage equals ground potential. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the optical microscope is equipped to inspect the sample by using light transmitted through the sample. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the apparatus is equipped to irradiate the sample with the beam of charged particles while it is simultaneously inspected with the optical microscope. 5. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the charged particle column is a FIB column or a SEM column. 6. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the region of interest that is observed with the optical microscope is centred with the region of interest that is observed with the charged particle column. 7. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles. 8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the optical microscope is equipped to inspect the sample by using light transmitted through the sample. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the apparatus is equipped to irradiate the sample with the beam of charged particles while it is simultaneously inspected with the optical microscope. 10. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the charged particle column is a FIB column or a SEM column. 11. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the region of interest that is observed with optical microscope is centred with the region of interest that is observed with the charged particle column. 12. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles. 13. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the apparatus is equipped to irradiate the sample with the beam of charged particles while it is simultaneously inspected with the optical microscope. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13 in which the charged particle column is a FIB column or a SEM column. 15. The apparatus according to claim 13 in which the region of interest that is observed with the optical microscope is centred with the region of interest that is observed with the charged particle column. 16. The apparatus according to claim 13 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles. 17. Apparatus according claim 1 in which the charged particle column is a FIB column or a SEM column. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17 in which the region of interest that is observed with the optical microscope is centred with the region of interest that is observed with the charged particle column. 19. The apparatus according to claim l7 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles. 20. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the region of interest that is observed with the optical microscope is centred with the region of interest that is observed with the charged particle column. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles. 22. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the apparatus is equipped to form a vacuum seal against the microscope slide when the sample is observed with a beam of charged particles.