The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for irradiating
a sample with primary electron beams to detect secondary electron beams
generated from a surface of the sample by the irradiation for evaluating
the sample surface. In the electron beam apparatus, an electron gun has a
cathode for emitting primary electron beams. The cathode includes a
plurality of emitters for emitting primary electron beams, arranged apart
from one another on a circle centered at an optical axis of a primary
electro-optical system. The plurality of emitters are arranged such that
when the plurality of emitters are projected onto a straight line
parallel with a direction in which the primary electron beams are
scanned, resulting points on the straight line are spaced at equal
intervals.