A support table to support a surface of a substrate, wherein the support table includes: a base surface substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, a plurality of burls protruding above the base surface, each of the burls having a respective distal end and a first height above the base surface, the burls arranged such that, when the substrate is supported by the support table, the substrate is supported by the respective distal ends, and a plurality of elongate raised protrusions separated by gaps, each of the elongate raised protrusions having a second height above the base surface, wherein the elongate raised protrusions protrude above the base surface between the burls, and the second height is less than the first height; wherein the protrusions are arranged such that a plurality of the gaps are aligned to form a straight gas flow path towards an edge of the base surface.

Adjustable feed mechanisms, machining assemblies including the same, and associated methods. An adjustable feed mechanism includes a plurality of cam segments and a cam lifter configured to pivot each cam segment about a corresponding cam pivot point. An adjustable feed mechanism additionally includes a cam follower and a feed output assembly. The cam follower moves along the cam segments sequentially and is pivotally coupled to the feed output assembly. The cam follower pivots through a cam activation angle when moving along a given cam segment to produce the feed output. A machining assembly includes a mount assembly, a rotary element, and an adjustable feed mechanism. A method of utilizing a machining assembly to machine a work piece includes engaging the work piece with a machining assembly, positioning the tool head with respect to the work surface of the work piece, and machining the work surface.

A substrate holding device is equipped with a substrate holder that adsorbs and holds a substrate, and a plurality of vertical movement pin units that each have, at one end, an adsorption section to adsorb a rear surface of the substrate, and are movable relative to the substrate holder in a state of adsorbing the rear surface of the substrate with the adsorption section. The plurality of vertical movement pin units each have at least part including the adsorption section that is displaced in at least one direction, by an action of a force received from the adsorbed substrate.

A substrate holding device is equipped with a substrate holder that adsorbs and holds a substrate, and a plurality of vertical movement pin units that each have, at one end, an adsorption section to adsorb a rear surface of the substrate, and are movable relative to the substrate holder in a state of adsorbing the rear surface of the substrate with the adsorption section. The plurality of vertical movement pin units each have at least part including the adsorption section that is displaced in at least one direction, by an action of a force received from the adsorbed substrate.

A support table for a lithographic apparatus, the support table having a support section and a conditioning system, wherein the support section, the conditioning system, or both, is configured such that heat transfer to or from a substrate supported on the support table, resulting from the operation of the conditioning system, is greater in a region of the substrate adjacent an edge of the substrate than it is in a region of the substrate that is at the center of the substrate.

The present invention provides an original holding apparatus which holds an original, comprising a first holding unit configured to hold the original, a second holding unit configured to hold the original, a fixing unit configured to fix the second holding unit, and an adjustment unit configured to perform adjustment of an holding force of at least one of the first holding unit and the second holding unit, wherein the adjustment unit performs the adjustment such that the holding force of the second holding unit before fixing the second holding unit is smaller than the holding force of the first holding unit before fixing the second holding unit, and performs the adjustment such that the holding force of the second holding unit after fixing the second holding unit is larger than that before fixing the second holding unit.

A wafer chuck holds a wafer on a surface thereof such that an image of the wafer can be formed from light reflected by the surface of the wafer chuck. The surface of the wafer chuck is a planar surface that has a reflectivity equal to or greater than 40%, and/or a whiteness index value equal to or greater than 90. The wafer chuck can include a ceramic containing aluminum oxide having a purity equal to or greater than 95%. The planar surface of the wafer chuck is such that light illuminating the surface of the wafer chuck is reflected by the surface of the wafer chuck through the wafer. The wafer chuck can be used with an apparatus for cutting the wafer, and the light reflected by the surface can be used to form an image of the wafer used identifying cutting lines on the wafer.