A method for exposing a desired pattern on a target with a beam of energetic radiation formed by electrically charged particles, wherein the desired pattern (tp, 80, 80') is composed of a plurality structures (81, 82) having edges of which a substantial portion, preferably a majority, is oriented along a principal pattern direction (dh, dh'), with respect to a number of occurrence counted by the number of edges or by the sum of lengths of the edges that extend along the respective direction, the method comprising the steps of - providing a pattern definition device having a plurality of apertures transparent to said radiation, the apertures being arranged along lines and rows having Mx and My apertures, respectively, - illuminating said pattern definition device by means of an illuminating wide beam (lb), which traverses the pattern definition device through said apertures thus forming a patterned beam (pb) consisting of a corresponding plurality of beamlets in accordance with said desired pattern (tp), - forming said patterned beam into a pattern image (pm) on the location of the target, said pattern image comprising the images of at least part of the plurality of apertures covering a number of pattern pixels (px) on the target, and - generating a relative movement between said target and the pattern definition device producing a movement of said pattern image on the target along a path over at least one region of exposure (R1, R2, R3) where a beam exposure is to be performed, said path being composed of sections which extend along a general direction (d1, d2, d3), said sections corresponding to exposure stripes (s01 - s0n, s21-s2n, s31 - s3n) covering said region in sequential exposures, said region (R1, R2, R3) being composed of a plurality of pattern pixels (px) arranged in a regular arrangement and said region having a total width (Ry) as measured across said general direction (d1, d2, d3), said exposure stripes running substantially parallel to each other along said general direction and having a length Rx and respective widths y0 as measured across said general direction, the method including - establishing a relative orientation of the desired pattern (tp, 80, 80') and the exposure stripes, with the relative orientation including a non-zero small angle (ε, ε') between the principal pattern direction (dh, dh') and the general direction (d2, d3) of the exposure stripes (s21-s2n, s31-s3n), wherein said small angle is sufficient to lift the alignment between said general direction (d1, d2, d3) and the principal pattern direction (dh, dh'), said small angle (ε, ε'), calculated in radians, being chosen to be greater than y0 / (Rx·My) and smaller than 1 / Mx. - providing a pattern definition device having a plurality of apertures transparent to said radiation, the apertures being arranged along lines and rows having Mx and My apertures, respectively, - illuminating said pattern definition device by means of an illuminating wide beam (lb), which traverses the pattern definition device through said apertures thus forming a patterned beam (pb) consisting of a corresponding plurality of beamlets in accordance with said desired pattern (tp), - forming said patterned beam into a pattern image (pm) on the location of the target, said pattern image comprising the images of at least part of the plurality of apertures covering a number of pattern pixels (px) on the target, and - generating a relative movement between said target and the pattern definition device producing a movement of said pattern image on the target along a path over at least one region of exposure (R1, R2, R3) where a beam exposure is to be performed, said path being composed of sections which extend along a general direction (d1, d2, d3), said sections corresponding to exposure stripes (s01 - s0n, s21-s2n, s31 - s3n) covering said region in sequential exposures, said region (R1, R2, R3) being composed of a plurality of pattern pixels (px) arranged in a regular arrangement and said region having a total width (Ry) as measured across said general direction (d1, d2, d3), said exposure stripes running substantially parallel to each other along said general direction and having a length Rx and respective widths y0 as measured across said general direction, - establishing a relative orientation of the desired pattern (tp, 80, 80') and the exposure stripes, with the relative orientation including a non-zero small angle (ε, ε') between the principal pattern direction (dh, dh') and the general direction (d2, d3) of the exposure stripes (s21-s2n, s31-s3n), wherein said small angle is sufficient to lift the alignment between said general direction (d1, d2, d3) and the principal pattern direction (dh, dh'), said small angle (ε, ε'), calculated in radians, being chosen to be greater than y0 / (Rx·My) and smaller than 1 / Mx.