A small-sized charged particle beam apparatus capable of maintaining high
vacuum even during emission of an electron beam is provided. A
nonevaporative getter pump is placed upstream of differential pumping of
an electron optical system of the charged particle beam apparatus, and a
minimum number of ion pumps are placed downstream, so that both the pumps
are used in combination. Further, by mounting a detachable coil on an
electron gun part, the inside of a column can be maintained under high
vacuum with a degree of vacuum in the order of 10.sup.-8 Pa.