Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask inspection system, a load-lock chamber included therein, and a method for inspecting an EUV mask using the EUV mask inspection system

A load-lock chamber comprising:

• a mask table for loading an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask;
• an ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed adjacent the mask table in a first direction;
• a cold trap disposed adjacent the mask table in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;
• a vacuum pump;
• and
• an inner gate valve disposed between the mask table and the cold trap,
• wherein the inner gate valve is configured to divide an inner space of the load-lock chamber into a first inner space in which the mask table is disposed and a second inner space in which the cold trap is disposed.

A method for inspecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, the method comprising:

• loading a manufactured EUV mask into a mask receiving unit;
• moving the EUV mask from the mask receiving unit into a load-lock chamber;
• irradiating ultraviolet (UV) light onto the EUV mask by an UV lamp of the load-lock chamber to evaporate water molecules on the EUV mask by the UV light;
• trapping the water molecules evaporated from the EUV mask by using a cold trap of the load-lock chamber;
• moving the EUV mask from the load-lock chamber into a main chamber;
• and
• performing an inspection on the EUV mask in the main chamber.