Support device with a tiltable object table, and optical lithographic device provided with such a support device

A device for supporting an object relative to a base surface comprising:

• force actuator means;
• first bearing means for guiding the device relative to said base surface;
• second bearing means supported by the first bearing means and including means for guiding the second bearing means in a direction parallel to said base surface;
• object support means including a rigidification member coupled to the second bearing means and including an object support table coupled to the rigidification member, said force actuator means for displacing the support means relative to the first bearing means parallel to a z direction perpendicular to said base surface and for rotating the support means relative to the first and second bearing means about at least one axis of rotation extending parallel to the base surface;
• and
• coupling means elastically deformable in a direction parallel to the z direction for elastically coupling the rigidification member to the second bearing means in the z direction.

An object manipulation device for manipulating an object relative to a base comprising:

• first bearing means adapted to be movable secured to said base;
• second bearing means secured to the first bearing means;
• an object support comprising an object support table and a rigidification member coupled to said support table, said second bearing means for supporting the member;
• and
• means for elastically coupling the member for selective displacement in a first direction normal to said base relative to the first bearing means in response to a first force applied to said member in said first direction and for selective rotation relative to the first bearing means about an axis normal to said first direction in response to a second force applied to said member in said first direction.