Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A lithographic apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
• a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
• a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate;
• a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and
• a control system to control an operation of the lithographic apparatus, wherein the control system is arranged to operate the lithographic apparatus to:
• project, by the projection system, the pattern of the patterning device onto the substrate;
• while moving the substrate relative to the patterning device in a first direction so as to extend the projected pattern in the first direction wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of points, projected onto the substrate in the second direction so as to form a line pattern of a plurality of parallel, continuous lines on the substrate;
• measure along the first direction the position of the extended pattern in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• derive a calibration of the stage position from the measured position of the extended pattern.