In a projection lithography system having fly‐eye elements, a virtual source is created as an array of approximately mutually incoherent point sources. This paper describes simulated results of the light amplitude and phase of the mask‐projected image for a point source and discusses the dependence on the point source location on a plane situated perpendicular to the optical axis. We showed that the projected image illuminated by point sources far from the optical axis was improved by the effect of interference between multiple apertures. Resolution of the 0.4 μm lines and spaces was improved theoretically and experimentally at a wavelength of 435.8 nm and a numerical aperture of 0.45.