In the fabrication of large‐area Si complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor circuits with 100 and sub‐100 nm features, it is inefficient to use direct‐write electron‐beam (e‐beam) lithography for all of the layers, in part because of the exceedingly long writing times. Instead, a strategy of ‘‘mix and match’’ is preferred, in which coarse features on all layers are defined by optical projection and only the fine features are written by e‐beam lithography. We describe a strategy that combines optical, e‐beam, and x‐ray lithographies, and solves the problem of scale matching and distortion in such a mix‐and‐match scheme. Layers that include only coarse features are exposed directly on Si wafers using a G‐line stepper. This same stepper is also used to expose, on a chrome‐coated quartz wafer, arrays of e‐beam field alignment marks along with any coarse features required in this ‘‘critical layer.’’ This pattern is then transferred by deep ultraviolet proximity printing onto an x‐ray mask and plated up in gold. The e‐beam writes the fine features using the e‐beam field‐alignment marks as reference. Because the arrangement of the e‐beam field‐alignment marks reflects the distortion and scale of the optical stepper, overlay in the final circuit on the wafer is ensured. Furthermore, considerable e‐beam writing time is saved. The final pattern is transferred onto the device wafers using x‐ray lithography.