The embodiments herein provides methods for forming a PVD silicon oxide or silicon rich oxide, or PVD SiN or silicon rich SiN, or SiC or silicon rich SiC, or combination of the preceding including a variation which includes controlled doping of hydrogen into the compounds heretofore referred to as SiOxNyCz:Hw, where w, x, y, and z can vary in concentration from 0% to 100%, is produced as a hardmask with optical properties that are substantially matched to the photo-resists at the exposure wavelength. Thus making the hardmask optically planarized with respect to the photo-resist. This allows for multiple sequences of litho and etches in the hardmask while the photo-resist maintains essentially no optical topography or reflectivity variations.