Fluid handling system and method, and method of manufacturing devices

A method comprising:

• supplying an immersion liquid to fill at least a portion of an immersion space between a substrate and a projection system of a lithographic system, which projection system projects a patterned radiation beam onto the substrate;
• supplying gas to generate a gas jet which confines the immersion liquid within the immersion space, wherein the gas jet comprises a medium;
• drawing a two-phase fluid comprising the medium and the immersion liquid into an evacuation passage, wherein the two-phase fluid comprises a gas phase and a liquid phase;
• and
• extracting the medium from the two-phase fluid as a product fluid for further use, wherein the extracting comprises compressing the gas phase.

A fluid handling system for a lithographic system, the fluid handling system comprising:

• a liquid supply configured to supply an immersion liquid to fill at least a portion of an immersion space between a substrate and a projection system of the lithographic system;
• a gas supply configured to generate a gas jet for confining the immersion liquid within the immersion space, wherein the gas jet comprises a medium;
• an evacuation system comprising an evacuation passage, wherein the evacuation system is configured to draw a two-phase fluid comprising the medium and the immersion liquid into the evacuation passage, and the two-phase fluid comprises a gas phase and a liquid phase;
• and
• a recycling system configured to receive the two-phase fluid from the evacuation passage, and to extract the medium from the two-phase fluid as a product fluid for further use, while substantially preventing gas and liquid from being introduced to the two-phase fluid prior to extraction of the product fluid.