Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising: a clamping surface for supporting a substrate, wherein a property of the clamping surface is defined by at least one clamping surface parameter, and wherein the property of the clamping surface has been selected to exhibit low wear; a clamping apparatus for actuating a clamping operation between the clamping surface and the substrate, wherein the clamping operation is defined at least in part by at least one interface characteristic between the clamping surface and the substrate; and a processing station, operable to apply an adjustment to a first property of the substrate to optimize at least one interface characteristic of a particular clamping operation in dependence on the clamping surface parameter and at least one substrate surface parameter which defines a second property of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate table for supporting a substrate includes a surface and coarse burls. Each of the coarse burls includes a burl-top surface and fine burls. The coarse burls are disposed on the surface of the substrate table. The fine burls are disposed on the burl-top surface. The fine burls contact the substrate when the substrate table supports the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate holder, a method of manufacturing of the substrate holder and a lithographic apparatus having the substrate holder. In one arrangement, a substrate holder is for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder is configured to support a lower surface of a substrate. The substrate holder has a main body, a plurality of burls and a coating. The main body has a substrate-facing face. The plurality of burls protrudes from the substrate-facing face. Each burl has a distal end configured to engage with the substrate. The distal ends are configured for supporting the substrate. The coating is on the substrate-facing face between the burls. Between the burls the substrate-facing face has an arrangement of areas. Adjacent areas are separated by a step-change in distance below the support plane. Each step-change is greater than a thickness of the coating.

Abstract: A substrate, a substrate holder, a substrate coating apparatus, a method for coating the substrate and a method for removing the coating. A monomolecular layer is applied to the backside of the substrate or a clamp surface of the substrate holder. The friction force between the substrate backside and the substrate is small when the substrate does not experience full clamping force. After loading the substrate on the substrate holder full clamping force is exerted in order to fix the substrate. The clamping force causes local removal of the monomolecular layer, resulting in an increase of the friction force between the substrate and the substrate holder.

Abstract: A treatment tool for reconditioning the top surfaces of a plurality of projections of a substrate support in a lithographic tool. The treatment tool includes a reconditioning surface which is rough relative to smoothed top surfaces of the projections and which reconditioning surface has material harder than that of the material of the top surfaces of the projections. A reconditioning method involves causing an interaction between the reconditioning surface of the treatment tool and the top surfaces of the projections of the substrate support, so as to leave these top surfaces rougher than they were prior to the interaction.

Abstract: A substrate holder, a method of manufacturing of the substrate holder and a lithographic apparatus having the substrate holder. In one arrangement, a substrate holder is for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder is configured to support a lower surface of a substrate. The substrate holder has a main body, a plurality of burls and a coating. The main body has a substrate-facing face. The plurality of burls protrudes from the substrate-facing face. Each burl has a distal end configured to engage with the substrate. The distal ends are configured for supporting the substrate. The coating is on the substrate-facing face between the burls. Between the burls the substrate-facing face has an arrangement of areas. Adjacent areas are separated by a step-change in distance below the support plane. Each step-change is greater than a thickness of the coating.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate holder, a method of manufacturing a substrate holder, a lithographic apparatus comprising the substrate holder, and a method of manufacturing devices using the lithographic apparatus. In one arrangement, there is provided a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder supports a substrate. The substrate holder comprises a main body. The main body has a main body surface. A plurality of burls are provided projecting from the main body surface. Each burl has a burl side surface and a distal end surface. The distal end surface of each burl engages with the substrate. The distal end surfaces of the burls substantially conform to a support plane and support the substrate. A layer of carbon based material is provided in a plurality of separated regions of carbon based material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate holder, a method of manufacturing a substrate holder, a lithographic apparatus comprising the substrate holder, and a method of manufacturing devices using the lithographic apparatus. In one arrangement, there is provided a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder supports a substrate. The substrate holder comprises a main body. The main body has a main body surface. A plurality of burls are provided projecting from the main body surface. Each burl has a burl side surface and a distal end surface. The distal end surface of each burl engages with the substrate. The distal end surfaces of the burls substantially conform to a support plane and support the substrate. A layer of carbon based material is provided in a plurality of separated regions of carbon based material.

Abstract: A substrate table to support a substrate, the substrate table including a main body, burls extending from the main body and having first upper ends that define a support surface to support the substrate, and support pins having second upper ends. The support pins are movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The support pins are arranged to support the substrate in the extended position. The support pins are arranged to be switched to a first stiffness mode and a second stiffness mode. In the first stiffness mode, the support pins have a first stiffness in a direction parallel to the support surface. In the second stiffness mode, the support pins have a second stiffness in the direction parallel to the support surface. The first stiffness is different from the second stiffness.

Abstract: A substrate table to support a substrate, the substrate table including a main body, burls extending from the main body and having first upper ends that define a support surface to support the substrate, and support pins having second upper ends. The support pins are movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The support pins are arranged to support the substrate in the extended position. The support pins are arranged to be switched to a first stiffness mode and a second stiffness mode. In the first stiffness mode, the support pins have a first stiffness in a direction parallel to the support surface. In the second stiffness mode, the support pins have a second stiffness in the direction parallel to the support surface. The first stiffness is different from the second stiffness.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object holder for use in a lithographic apparatus, the object holder including one or more electrically functional components, the method including: using a composite structure including a carrier sheet different from a main body of the object holder and a layered structure including one or a plurality of layers and formed on the carrier sheet; connecting the composite structure to a surface of the main body such that the layered structure is between the carrier sheet and the surface of the main body; and removing the carrier sheet from the composite structure, leaving the layered structure connected to the main body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object holder for use in a lithographic apparatus, the object holder including one or more electrically functional components, the method including: using a composite structure including a carrier sheet different from a main body of the object holder and a layered structure including one or a plurality of layers and formed on the carrier sheet; connecting the composite structure to a surface of the main body such that the layered structure is between the carrier sheet and the surface of the main body; and removing the carrier sheet from the composite structure, leaving the layered structure connected to the main body.