Patent ID: 7423721

Claim:
A vacuum operated lithographic apparatus comprising: a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a 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 vacuum housing to provide a vacuum environment to said support, or said substrate table, or said projection system, or any combination thereof, wherein an interior of said vacuum housing comprises a plurality of transport circuits configured to transport fluids and/or electrical signals for use in a first process mode for lithographic processing, and wherein at least one of said transport circuits is configured to transport energy towards the interior of said vacuum housing to stimulate outgassing in said vacuum housing for use in a second process mode for bringing the lithographic apparatus into a vacuum operating condition.