Patent ID: 8324594

Claim:
A charged particle beam apparatus for irradiating a sample with a charged particle beam to inspect the sample, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber to enclose the sample; a first column to irradiate the sample with a charged particle beam or light so as to image the sample; a second column to irradiate the sample with a charged particle beam so as to image the sample or process the sample based on the image obtained by the first column; a rotary stage that mounts the sample thereon, which is placed in the vacuum chamber; and a single-shaft transfer mechanism to transfer the rotary stage in the direction of an axis of the single-shaft transfer mechanism in the vacuum chamber, wherein a target portion for the irradiation of the charged particle beam or light from the first column and the charged particle beam from the second column in XY directions on the sample is positioned by combined movement of the rotary stage and the single-shaft transfer mechanism.