Patent ID: 7973910

Claim:
A stage apparatus, comprising: a moving stage, which moves along a movement plane; a first moving table, which is able to move with respect to the moving stage while holding a specimen that is loaded from outside; a second moving table, which is provided on the moving stage and is supported by a member other than the first moving table; and a controller that controls the moving stage, the first moving table and the second moving table, wherein the controller controls: the second moving table to be below a surface of the specimen when the first moving table is at a first position, the second moving table to be positioned at the first position when the first moving table has moved from the first position to a second position, and the second moving table to move in a direction that intersects the movement plane so that a surface of the second moving table is substantially flush with a surface of the first moving table when positioning the second moving table at the first position.