Method of removing and collecting particles from photomask and device for removing and collecting particles therefrom

A method of removing and collecting a plurality of particles from a photomask, the method comprising:

• fabricating the photomask on a substrate;
• generating a first map indicating locations of the plurality of particles on a surface of the photomask by inspecting the surface of the photomask using a probe tip;
• applying a first voltage to the probe tip and vertically moving the probe tip to a first vertical height that is lower than a height of a first particle among the plurality of particles based on the first map;
• horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the first vertical height;
• generating a second map indicating locations of the plurality of particles on the surface of the photomask using the probe tip;
• applying a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage to the probe tip and vertically moving the probe tip to a second vertical height that is lower than the first vertical height;
• and
• horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the second vertical height,
• wherein each of the horizontal moving of the probe tip at the first vertical height and the horizontal moving of the probe tip at the second vertical height includes:
• horizontally moving the probe tip in a first direction toward the first particle;
• contacting the probe tip with the first particle;
• horizontally moving the probe tip in a second direction opposite to the first direction after moving the probe tip past the first particle;
• and
• contacting the probe tip with the first particle again.