A lithographic apparatus includes a source for generating radiation, an illumination system for conditioning the radiation, a patterning device for patterning the conditioned radiation, and a projection system for projecting the patterned radiation onto a target portion of a substrate. The illumination system includes a debris mitigating system for mitigating debris particles that are released with the generation of radiation, and an optical system for collecting the radiation. The debris mitigation system is arranged to directly evaporate the debris particles, or to directly charge the debris particles, or to directly produce a plasma out of the debris particles, or any combination thereof, in a path along which the radiation propagates from the source to the optical system.