To provide a wafer support device that can support a wafer with appropriate clamp pressure at all times, to prevent cracking or chipping of the wafer.

A plurality of pawls 21 brought into contact with a peripheral portion of a wafer W, while protruding towards the inside of an opening 14 of a support block 13 are provided in the periphery of the opening 14 via leaf spring members 22, which can be deformed elastically in the pressing direction toward the wafer W. The wafer W placed on a table 12 is lifted together with the table 12 with extension of a bellows 16 and receives pressure by the pawls 21, while deforming the leaf spring members 22. Accordingly, overloading on the wafer W is reduced by the elastic deformation of the leaf spring members 22, thereby preventing cracking or chipping of the peripheral portion. Furthermore, the pressure from the leaf spring members 22 determines the clamp pressure of the wafer W.