Patent ID: 7626165

Claim:
A focused ion beam apparatus comprising: a sample base for mounting a sample; a three axis stage capable of moving the sample base in three directions: along two axes on a horizontal face and along a vertical axis; a first focused ion beam barrel and a second focused ion beam barrel for irradiating the sample with focused ion beams; and a first electron beam barrel for irradiating the sample with an electron beam; wherein the irradiating directions of the focused ion beams of the first focused ion beam barrel and the second focused ion beam barrel are substantially opposed to each other in a planar view and inclined in substantial line symmetry with regard to the vertical axis in a side view; and wherein the first electron beam barrel is arranged such that the direction of the electron beam is substantially orthogonal to the respective directions of the focused ion beams of the first focused ion beam barrel and the second focused ion beam barrel in the planar view thereof.