Patent ID: 7239370

Claim:
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: a reticle-stage module comprising a support structure to support a patterning device, a short-stroke module to fine-position said support structure, and a long-stroke module to coarse-position the patterning device, the patterning device constructed and arranged to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table to hold a substrate; a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system having an optical axis; and a position controller constructed and arranged to adapt a position of at least a part of said reticle-stage module, the part of the reticle-stage module including at least the long-stroke module, the short-stroke module and the support structure, along said optical axis to compensate for a virtual shift of a pattern plane of said patterning device due to a pellicle positioned proximate the patterning device.