Patent ID: 8803103

Claim:
An inspection apparatus for inspecting a sample by irradiating either of charged particles or electromagnetic waves onto the sample, the apparatus comprising: a beam generator for generating either of the charged particles or the electromagnetic waves as a beam; a stage device for mounting the sample thereon; an electron-optical system for guiding and irradiating the beam as a primary beam onto the sample mounted on the stage device, and guiding a secondary charged particles emitted from a surface of the sample when irradiating the primary beam onto the sample; a first detector for detecting the secondary charged particles and providing an image processing system with an electric signal corresponding to an intensity of the secondary charged particles; and a mechanism for controlling an electric charge of the sample comprising: an electrode located in the proximity of the sample when it has been mounted on the stage device; a second detector for detecting an amount of electric charge of the electrode; and a power source for supplying a voltage to the electrode in response to the detected amount of the electric charge, to offset the electric charge of the electrode.