An apparatus including a positioner control device, a measuring device and
a control routine. The positioner control device is communicatively
coupled to a chamber of a charged particle beam device (CPBD) and is
configured to individually manipulate each of a plurality of probes
within the CPBD chamber to establish contact between ones of the
plurality of probes and corresponding ones of a plurality of contact
points of a sample positioned in the CPBD chamber. The measuring device
is communicatively coupled to the CPBD and the positioner control device
and is configured to perform one of a measurement and a detection of a
characteristic associated with one of the plurality of contact points.
The control routine is configured to at least partially automate control
of at least one of the CPBD, the positioner control device and the
measuring device.