An anti-reflective coating material layer is provided that has a relatively high etch rate such that it can be removed simultaneously with the cleaning of a defined opening in a relatively short period of time without affecting the critical dimensions of the opening. A method of forming such a layer includes providing a substrate assembly surface and using a gas mixture of at least a silicon containing precursor, a nitrogen containing precursor, and an oxygen containing precursor. The layer is formed at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 600° C. Generally, the anti-reflective coating material layer deposited is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in the range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent. The total SiH4 flow is generally in the range of about 80 sccm to about 400 sccm. The gas mixture may include SiH4 and N2O, where the ratio of SiH4:N2O is in the range of about 0.25 to 0.60. The inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer may be used for defining contact openings, openings for forming capacitor structures, or any other openings in oxide layers.