the invention describes a method and an apparatus with which a preferably rectangular plate 1 that is supported with one support side 1 a in a bearing region 5 on bearings 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″ can be stressed by any number of force actions such that its distortion state can be actively changed . the bearings 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″ which are made as supports can be fixed and / or floating bearings . the forces f 1 , . . . , fn ( hereinafter labeled fn ) can be set on the support side 1 a or the top 1 o opposite the support side 1 a by action means which act in one action region 6 , especially separately path - controlled and / or force - controlled compression and / or pulling elements 3 ( first group of embodiments as claimed in the invention according to fig1 to 6 ), preferably actuators , or fluid paths 7 ( second group of embodiments as claimed in the invention according to fig7 and 8 ). preferably , the forces fn act on the side 1 o of the plate 1 , as forces fn which produce a normal tension . preferably , the forces fn act only on the outermost periphery of the plate 1 . the control takes place by a software - supported control apparatus , which is not shown and which also undertakes triggering of the other elements of the device , and functions of the described method . if the plate 1 is located in a gravitational field g , the gravitational field can cause sagging of the plate 1 ( fig4 ). the support forces fa 1 . . . fan can be computed according to the fundamental laws of statics . for the sake of simplicity , fig4 and 5 show the cross section of the embodiment of fig1 in which the plate 1 lies on four bearings 2 . it is clear to one skilled in the art in the field that the bearings 2 can also have any other shape , such as the ones shown in fig2 a , 2 b and 3 a , 3 b . then , the support forces fa 1 . . . fan or the support force distribution could be computed accordingly . the sag caused by the force of gravity g in fig4 can be compensated by the application of the force f 1 . . . fn . the inventive concept is comprised in changing the general global elongation state of the plate 1 based on the given statics of the plate 1 and the bearing means ( bearings 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″) which support the plate 1 . here the unevenness inherent in the plate 1 can also be taken into account by the structure of the plate 1 being measured , particularly on its function region 4 which is located within the bearing means . the functional region 4 is an active ( transilluminated ) mask region of the plate 1 which is made as a photolithography mask in one preferred embodiment of the invention . the most general embodiment of an apparatus is shown in fig6 . several compression and / or pulling elements 3 preferably act on the periphery of the plate 1 which is supported on bearings 2 . the compression and / or pulling elements 3 and the bearings 2 can be located on the same side . this would enable mainly the use of one free - standing function side . only a single , round compression and / or pulling element 3 which would be used for a round outside contour of the plate 1 is also possible . according to the invention , there are more than two compression and / or pulling elements 3 , preferably more than five , more preferably more than ten , most preferably more than 20 in the action region 6 , distributed on the periphery . the controllable force f 1 . . . fn of each compression and / or pulling element 3 which acts on the plate 1 is between 0 and 100000 n , preferably between 0 and 10000 n , more preferably between 0 and 1000 n , most preferably between 0 and 100 n , most preferably of all between 0 and 10 n . in particular , one lever arm r ( best seen in fig5 ) between the support forces fa 1 . . . fan and the forces f 1 . . . fn is as large as possible in order to increase the sensitivity of the device . the lever arm r is greater than 1 mm , preferably greater than 5 mm , more preferably greater than 10 mm , still more preferably greater than 20 mm , most preferably greater than 40 mm , most preferably of all greater than 60 mm . the ratio between the average length l of the plate and the lever arm r is greater than 1 / 10000 , preferably greater than 1 / 1000 , more preferably greater than 1 / 100 , most preferably greater than 1 / 10 . in one special embodiment according to fig7 , a support 2 ′″ has at least one , preferably several fluid paths 7 , 8 which are located on the periphery of the plate 1 . the fluid path 7 is a vacuum path which fixes the plate 1 onto the support 2 ′″ via the differential pressure which is formed by suction . the differential pressure which is integrated over the area yields the force which is acting on the area section and which is shown in fig7 by f n . at the same time , by producing an overpressure in the fluid path 8 a force f el directed to the outside can arise which contributes to the active compensation of the plate 1 . the fluid path 8 can be omitted when additional application of force is not desired , not possible , or not allowed . it is clear to one skilled in the art in the field that the disclosed compression and / or pulling elements which are intended to deform the plate according to the laws of elasticity theory can also be replaced by simple retaining elements . the retaining elements would then be designed such that they are used to statically fix the plate 1 , therefore as fixed bearings . by skillful selection and / or positioning of the retaining elements , a corresponding plate 1 can always be shifted into the necessary distortion and / or strain state . the disadvantage of this static fixing is the more difficult replaceability of corresponding plates 1 . the shape of the supports 2 ′″ on the contact surface to the plate 1 contributes to the distortion state and / or strain state of the plate 1 , especially in its function region . as shown in fig7 , because the support 2 ′″ drops ( i . e ., slopes ) toward the outside , the vacuum paths 7 force the plate 1 around this curvature , and the outer edge of the plate 1 is shifted into a corresponding distortion state which has stabilizing and / or deforming effects on the function region 4 . corresponding supports can be computed by means of finite element methods and corresponding software . preferably , the plate 1 in fig7 is a photolithography mask which is located on the support 2 ′″. a rotation of fig7 by 180 ° discloses a plate 1 which can be used as a punch for a microimprint process and / or nanoimprint process . the support 2 ′″ can be shaped according to the deformation to be achieved , i . e ., also concavely when viewed from above . a support can be for example completely even , as shown in fig8 . this embodiment of the bearings 2 iv can be produced much more simply . the vacuum regions 7 allow a local sag of the plate 1 in the support region and thus lead to a corresponding correction of the distortions of the plate 1 . preferably the plate 1 in fig8 is a photolithography mask which is located on the support 2 iv . a rotation of fig7 or fig8 by 180 ° discloses a plate 1 which can be used as a punch for a microimprint process and / or nanoimprint process . the reliable suction of the plate 1 by the vacuum paths 7 , 7 ′ can be ensured by corresponding mechanical elements such as sealing lips . the method as claimed in the invention and embodiments can compensate , even eliminate or at least for the most part equalize not only the gravitation - induced sag of the plate 1 , but also any type of “ intrinsic ” deviation from planarity / evenness which is already inherent in the plate . the statements on the first group of embodiments according to fig1 to 6 apply analogously to the second group , if nothing different results above or from the figures .