Substrate support, lithographic apparatus, method for manipulating charge distribution and method for preparing a substrate

A substrate support configured to support a substrate, the substrate support comprising:

• a plurality of burls protruding from a base surface of the substrate support, the burls having distal ends for supporting a lower surface of the substrate with a gap between the base surface of the substrate support and the lower surface of the substrate;
• a vapour supply channel configured to supply a vapour of a conductive liquid to a region of the lower surface of the substrate adjoining the distal end of at least one of the burls, to allow charge to pass between the region of the lower surface of the substrate and the at least one burl;
• and
• a gas supply channel configured to supply gas to the gap so as to displace conductive liquid from the gap and dry the substrate and/or one or more extraction channels, located at the gap, configured to extract gas and/or liquid from the gap,
• wherein the distal end is configured to have a controlled electrical potential such that charge distribution at the lower surface of the substrate can be manipulated.

A method for manipulating charge distribution of a lower surface of a substrate, the method comprising:

• supporting a lower surface of the substrate on a plurality of burls protruding from a base surface of a substrate support with a gap between the base surface of the substrate support and the lower surface of the substrate;
• supplying a conductive liquid to the gap so as to bridge the gap between the base surface of the substrate support and the lower surface of the substrate, to allow charge to pass between the substrate support and the substrate;
• and
• supplying gas to the gap so as to displace conductive liquid from the gap and dry the substrate, and/or extracting gas and/or liquid from the gap using one or more extraction channels located at the gap,
• wherein the substrate support has a controlled electrical potential such that charge distribution at the lower surface of the substrate is manipulated.

A method for manipulating charge distribution of a lower surface of a substrate, the method comprising:

• supporting a lower surface of the substrate on a plurality of burls protruding from a base surface of a substrate support with a gap between the base surface of the substrate support and the lower surface of the substrate;
• supplying a vapour of a conductive liquid to a region of the lower surface of the substrate adjoining a distal end of at least one of the burls, to allow charge to pass between the region of the lower surface of the substrate and the at least one burl;
• and
• supplying gas to the gap so as to displace conductive liquid from the gap and dry the substrate, and/or extracting gas and/or liquid from the gap using one or more extraction channels located at the gap,
• wherein the distal end has a controlled electrical potential such that charge distribution at the lower surface of the substrate is manipulated.