There is disclosed a substrate holder, a method of manufacturing a substrate holder, a lithographic apparatus comprising the substrate holder, and a method of manufacturing devices using the lithographic apparatus. In one arrangement, there is provided a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder supports a substrate. The substrate holder comprises a main body. The main body has a main body surface. A plurality of burls are provided projecting from the main body surface. Each burl has a burl side surface and a distal end surface. The distal end surface of each burl engages with the substrate. The distal end surfaces of the burls substantially conform to a support plane and support the substrate. A layer of carbon based material is provided in a plurality of separated regions of carbon based material. The layer of carbon based material provides a surface with a lower coefficient of friction than a part of the main body surface outside the plurality of separated regions of carbon based material. The layer of carbon based material covers only part of the distal end surface of at least one of the burls. Alternatively, the layer of carbon based material covers the distal end surface and at least a portion of the burl side surface of at least one of the burls.