A method for forming a patterned reflective layer first employs a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a blanket reflective layer. There is then formed upon the blanket reflective layer an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer formed employing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method employing a deposition gas composition comprising silane, nitrous oxide and argon. There is then formed upon the blanket anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer a blanket photoresist layer. There is then photoexposed and developed the blanket photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer. There is then etched, while employing a first etch method, the blanket anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer to form a patterned anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer. Finally, there is then etched, while employing a second etch method, the blanket reflective layer to form the patterned reflective layer while employing at least the patterned anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer as a second etch mask layer.