Abstract: A supporting device (53) provided with a first part (69), a second part (71), and a gas spring (73) for supporting the second part relative to the first part parallel to a support direction (Z). The gas spring (73) comprises a pressure chamber (75) which is provided in an intermediate part (79) and is bounded by a piston (81) which is displaceable in the intermediate part (79) parallel to the support direction and is supported perpendicularly to the support direction by means of a static gas bearing (85). A stiffness of the supporting device parallel to the support direction is thus substantially entirely determined by a stiffness of the gas spring, and a low stiffness can be achieved through a suitable design of the gas spring. A transmission of vibrations directed parallel to the support direction from the first part to the second part is prevented as much as possible thereby. The invention also relates to a lithography device having a plurality of such supporting devices.

Abstract: A method is described for repetitively imaging a mask pattern, on separate fields of a substrate (W), for example, for IC manufacture, which substrate fields are positioned without any field-by-field alignment so that the speed of throughput of substrates can be increased. An accurate interferometer system (50, 100, 150) having five measuring axes (MAX.sub.1, MAX.sub.2, MAX.sub.3, MAX.sub.4, MAX.sub.5) is also described, which system is intended in the first instance for use in an apparatus for performing the method, but which can also be used in a more general way in those cases where an object must be measured in five degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A high-quality lens system (PL) is described, which system is rinsed with a gas having a low refractive index so as to reduce the influence of variations of ambient parameters on the optical behaviour. By adding a very small quantity of ozone to this gas, it is prevented that any deposit will be produced on the lens elements within the lens holder (PLH) as a result of decomposition of organic particles caused by UV radiation and precipitation of the decomposition products.

Abstract: An apparatus for projecting a mask pattern (MA) on a substrate (W) by means of a projection lens system (PL) is described, which apparatus comprises a device for aligning a mask alignment mark (M.sub.1, M.sub.2) with respect to a substrate alignment mark (P.sub.1, P.sub.2). Means (WE.sub.1, WE.sub.2) preventing phase differences due to reflections at the mask plate (MA) from occurring within the alignment beam portions received by a detection system (13, 13') are arranged in the path of selected alignment beam portions (b.sub.1, b.sub.1 ').

Abstract: An apparatus for projecting a mask pattern (MA) on a substrate (W) by means of a projection lens system (PL) is described, which apparatus comprises a device for aligning a substrate alignment mark (P.sub.1 ; P.sub.2) with respect to a mask alignment mark (M.sub.1 ; M.sub.2), the projection lens system (PL) forming part of the alignment device. A correction element (25) is arranged in this system (PL) to compensate for the fact that this system (PL) is not optimized for the wavelength of the alignment beam (b).

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for aligning relative to each other a mask pattern (C) and a substrate (W) which are both provided with two alignment marks wherein by using two separate alignment systems (AS.sub.1, AS.sub.2) which are each associated with one mask mark (M.sub.1, M.sub.2) and which are each used for aligning the substrate marks (P.sub.1, P.sub.2) relative to said mask marks the substrate (W) and the mask (M) can be aligned accurately without referring to the frame of the exposure apparatus and in addition it is possible to detect magnification errors.