The process of plasma etching a material with a robust molecular structure or complex composition like metals and chemically stable polymers is done with a corrosive gas-based component. This corrosive gas of choice often focuses on fluorine-based chemistry like CF4, SF6, or other similar gases. The addition of these kinds of corrosive components provides a method of converting additional chemistries into a gas state providing a method of plasma etching. This technology can be used for the cleaning of large surfaces, such as silicon wafers, or the removal of polymer debris on printed circuit boards (PCBs). Since the whole process takes place in a vacuum chamber, it is also much easier to collect the corrosive gas after the process and minimalize the environmental impact of this etching technology.