An actinic, through-pellicle EUV mask inspection or metrology system acquires image information by scanning an array of focused illumination spots across a photomask and detecting the mask reflectance signal from each spot in synchronization with the scan motion. The radiation from each spot is detected by a detector comprising four quadrant sensors to provide information on the angular reflectance distribution, which is sensitive to the reflectance phase. The focal spots are generated from achromatic EUV microlenses (phase-Fresnel, Schupmann doublets), enabling the use of a high-bandwidth, high-power, laser-produced-plasma EUV source for high-throughput operation. The microlens foci are projected through illumination optics (EUV mirrors) onto the focal spots at the mask, and the microlenses nullify the illumination optics' geometric aberrations for substantially aberration-free point imaging. Aberration-correcting micro-optics may also be used for the collection optics between the mask and the detector array.