A substrate holder, a method of manufacturing of the substrate holder and a lithographic apparatus having the substrate holder. In one arrangement, a substrate holder is for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder is configured to support a lower surface of a substrate. The substrate holder has a main body, a plurality of burls and a coating. The main body has a substrate-facing face. The plurality of burls protrudes from the substrate-facing face. Each burl has a distal end configured to engage with the substrate. The distal ends are configured for supporting the substrate. The coating is on the substrate-facing face between the burls. Between the burls the substrate-facing face has an arrangement of areas. Adjacent areas are separated by a step-change in distance below the support plane. Each step-change is greater than a thickness of the coating.