Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of removing a particle of a photomask using an atomic force microscope comprising:pressing a hard atomic force microscope stylus having a spring constant equal to or larger than 300 N/m to a particle;detecting bending of a cantilever relative to a press force;determining a kind of the particle from an amount of the bending; andchanging the method of removing the particle in accordance with the kind of the particle. 2. A method of removing a particle of a photomask using an atomic force microscope comprising:pressing a hard atomic force microscope stylus having a spring constant equal to or larger than 300 N/m to a particle with a constant load;measuring a depth of an impression produced by pressing the particle by a stylus which is slender and provided with a high aspect ratio;determining a kind of the particle by a difference in the measured depth; andchanging the method of removing the particle in accordance with the kind of the particle. 3. A method of removing a particle of a photomask using an atomic force microscope according to claim 1, wherein when the particle is softer than a quartz or glass substrate, an atomic force microscope stylus harder than the particle and softer than the quartz or glass substrate is used and the particle is physically removed by pressing a side face of the stylus to the particle. 4. A method of removing a particle of a photomask using an atomic force microscope according to claim 2, wherein when the particle is softer than a quartz or glass substrate, an atomic force microscope stylus harder than the particle and softer than the quartz or glass substrate is used and the particle is physically removed by pressing a side face of the stylus to the particle. 5. A method of removing a particle of photomask using an atomic force microscope according to claim 1, wherein only when the particle is equal to or harder than a quartz or glass substrate, a hard atomic force microscope stylus having a high spring constant used for pressing the particle is used as it is and the particle is physically removed by pressing a side face of the stylus to the particle. 6. A method of removing a particle of photomask using an atomic force microscope according to claim 2, wherein only when the particle is equal to or harder than a quartz or glass substrate, a hard atomic force microscope stylus having a high spring constant used for pressing the particle is used as it is and the particle is physically removed by pressing a side face of the stylus to the particle.