A focused ion beam apparatus having two pieces of probers brought into
contact with two points of a surface of a sample, a voltage source for
applying a constant voltage between the two points with which the probers
are brought into contact, and an ammeter for measuring a current flowing
between the two points, in which a conductive film is formed to narrow a
gap thereof between the two points by operating a deflection electrode
and a gas gun and the current flowing between the two points is
monitored, and when the current becomes a predetermined value, a focused
charged particle beam irradiated to the surface of the sample is made OFF
by the blanking electrode.