Imprint Apparatus with Movable Stages

A lithographic apparatus comprising:

• a projection system configured to provide an exposure radiation for patterning a substrate;
• a first stage configured to support a first substrate that is to be patterned;
• a second stage configured to support a second substrate that is to be patterned;
• a third stage accommodating a component that includes at least one of a sensor and a cleaning device;
• a substrate unloader configured to unload the first substrate from the first stage during a substrate exchange operation;
• and
• a control system configured to control positioning of the first stage, the second stage, the third stage and the substrate unloader, wherein the control system is configure to:
• perform an exposure operation on the first substrate,
• perform a post-exposure scrum sweep operation,
• start a pre-exposure scrum sweep operation after starting the substrate exchange operation,
• during the post-exposure scrum sweep operation, move the first stage away from underneath the projection system while moving the third stage to underneath the projection system, and
• during the pre-exposure scrum sweep operation, move the third stage away from underneath the projection system while moving the second stage to underneath the projection system.