Charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithographic exposure apparatus and reticles for use therewith. The reticle defines a pattern corresponding to a die pattern to be imprinted on the wafer. The pattern on the reticle is divided into multiple subregions separated from each other by light-shielding boundary zones. Multiple reticle subregions are have so as to include a center portion and a peripheral portion. As such reticle subregions are projected onto the substrate, the peripheral portions of adjacent subregions as projected onto the wafer overlap each other.