Abstract: A wafer chuck for positioning and releasably holding a wafer includes a support platform having an upper surface for positioning and supporting the wafer. Wafer banking pins are affixed to the support platform for positioning the wafer. A lift device acting on the wafer when it rests on the support platform to move the wafer relative to the support platform in a slanted direction away from the support platform and wafer banking pins. The lift device has a plurality of wafer lifting fingers that cooperatively extend in a biased and substantially vertical direction are disposed in a pattern to be supportive of the wafer. Each of the wafer lifting fingers has an end portion that is movable relative to the support platform between a first position at which it is retracted from the upper surface of the support platform and a second position at which it protrudes from the upper surface of the support platform so as to engage the wafer to lift it relative to the support platform.