Abstract: Methods are provided for complementarily dividing, on a divided stencil reticle as used in charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography, certain pattern elements into complementary pattern-element portions, and for exposing the pattern-element portions without significantly reducing throughput. For example, a large-area pattern element, having length and width equal to or greater than a division criterion L, is complementarily divided into linear pattern-element portions each having a width<L, and length≧L. Each pattern-element portion can have respective overlap regions along edges at which the portions as projected are conjoined on a lithographic substrate. The pattern-element portions are defined on at most two complementary reticles (or reticle portions) thereby imposing less adverse effect on throughput than conventionally.