There is provided a compact charged particle beam apparatus with a
non-evaporable getter pump which maintains high vacuum even during
emission of an electron beam without generating foreign particles. The
apparatus comprises: a charged particle source; a charged particle optics
which focuses a charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle
source on a sample and performs scanning; and means of vacuum pumping
which evacuates the charged particle optics. The means of vacuum pumping
has a differential pumping structure with two or more vacuum chambers
connected through an opening in series. A pump made of non-evaporable
getter alloy is placed in an upstream vacuum chamber with a high degree
of vacuum, and a gas absorbing surface of the non-evaporable getter alloy
is fixed without contact with another part.