A system for chucking and de-chucking a work piece comprises a wafer stage having a chuck support for supporting a chuck. The wafer stage further comprises a chuck mounted on the chuck support for receiving and attaching the work piece thereto; a support lift means for supporting the work piece; a driving means coupled to the support lift means for gradually raising the support lift means to contact the work piece in response to a variable quantity; a controller for receiving the variable quantity; and a regulating means coupled to the driving means and to the controller, the regulating means for controlling the variable quantity going to the driving means when a predetermined variable quantity is detected.