Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A method of reducing a gap between a substrate and a substrate table, in an immersion lithographic apparatus, to support the substrate, the method comprising:

• loading the substrate into a space defined by an inner edge of a surface of the substrate table;
• measuring a gap between an edge of the substrate and the inner edge of the surface of the substrate table, using a sensor device in or on the substrate table;
• and
• reducing the gap based on the measurement.

A device manufacturing method comprising:

• loading a substrate onto a pre-aligner;
• measuring a physical property of the substrate at the pre-aligner;
• loading the substrate from the pre-aligner onto the substrate table;
• reducing a gap at and between a convex edge of a substantial part of the substrate and an edge of a surface of the substrate table based on the measured physical property by positioning of an edge member in the gap, the convex edge curving outwards in a plane coplanar with a surface of the substrate onto which radiation is exposed;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate with patterned radiation.

A device manufacturing method comprising:

• supporting a substrate on a substrate table in a space defined by an edge of a surface of the substrate table so as to define a gap at and between the edge of the surface of the substrate table and a convex edge of a substantial part of the substrate, the convex edge curving outwards in a plane coplanar with a surface of the substrate onto which radiation is exposed;
• measuring a size of the gap;
• reducing the size of the gap by positioning of an edge member in the gap, the size of the gap being reduced based on the measured size of the gap;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate with patterned radiation.