Lithographic apparatus and method

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
• a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;
• a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table;
• and
• a ring configured and sized to substantially cover a gap between the substrate and the substrate table, the ring, when covering the gap, being in contact with the substrate and with the substrate table and the ring comprising a plurality of recesses which extend partway to an outer edge of the ring, or an inner edge of the ring, or both the inner and outer edges.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
• a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;
• a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table;
• and
• a ring configured and sized to substantially cover a gap between the substrate and the substrate table, the ring, when covering the gap, being in contact with the substrate and with the substrate table and the ring comprising a hydrophobic surface on a sealing portion of the ring.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
• a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;
• a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table;
• a substrate handler configured to move a substrate from or to the substrate table, the substrate handler comprising a ring handler configured to (i) place a ring on a substrate, (ii) remove a ring from the substrate, or (iii) both (i) and (ii), the ring being arranged to substantially cover a gap between the substrate and the substrate table when the substrate is held by the substrate table and the ring comprising, on a lowermost surface, a protrusion dimensioned to fit into the gap.

A lithographic method, comprising:

• providing a substrate and a ring on a substrate table, the ring comprising, on a lowermost surface, a protrusion dimensioned to fit into a gap between the substrate and the substrate table;
• securing the substrate and the ring to the substrate table, such that the ring presses against the substrate and against the substrate table;
• providing a liquid to a space between a projection system and the substrate table;
• projecting a pattern onto the substrate via the projection system;
• and
• removing the substrate and the ring from the substrate table.