Abstract: An electron beam lithography machine (10) comprises a base structure in the form of a plinth (14), a plurality of legs (22), which preferably include pneumatic damping elements (23), for supporting the plinth relative to a support surface (24), the legs defining a support plane (A) for the plinth, an electron beam column (11) carried by the plinth and a stage (17, 18) arranged in a vacuum chamber at the plinth to be movable substantially parallel to the support plane and to carry a workpiece (13) to be acted on by an electron beam generated by the column. The centre of gravity (25) of the stage, which can be movable along X and Y axes of a co-ordinate system of the machine, is disposed in or adjacent to the support plane so that a reaction force to the stage movement is oriented in the support plane or in an adjacent, parallel plane.