Patent ID: 8264670

Claim:
A lithographic apparatus comprising: an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a patterning device support constructed to hold 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 stationary frame comprising a vacuum pump and a first vacuum buffer; a cable support or cable shuttle, that is a movable part, configured to carry cables between said patterning device support and the stationary frame of the lithographic apparatus, wherein the cable support or cable shuttle is distinct and separate from the patterning device support and the stationary frame of the lithographic apparatus; a second vacuum buffer located on the cable support or cable shuttle configured to be closer to the patterning device support than the stationary frame so as to reduce the time needed to obtain a low pressure level sufficient to close a vacuum valve and to thereby reduce the time required for exchanging patterning devices; a substrate table constructed to bold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and a clamping device configured to clamp said patterning device at a side of said patterning device that faces the illumination system.