Lithographic apparatus

A lithographic apparatus comprising:

• a clamping surface configured to support a substrate, the clamping surface comprising an array of first ridges, 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 configured to actuate 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 including a patterning apparatus configured 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, the patterning apparatus configured to form an array of second ridges on the substrate,
• wherein the clamping apparatus is configured to arrange the substrate and clamping surface in a clamping operation such that the first and second ridges cooperate to form a grid.

A method for optimizing at least one interface characteristic of a clamping operation between a substrate and a clamping surface, wherein a property of the clamping surface has been selected to exhibit low wear, the method comprising:

• receiving a clamping surface parameter defining the property of the clamping surface;
• receiving a substrate surface parameter defining a second property of the substrate;
• determining, based on the clamping surface parameter and the substrate surface parameter, an adjustment to a first property of the substrate;
• and
• adjusting the first property of the substrate according to the determined adjustment.