The plasma etching process utilizes a high-speed stream of plasma comprised of a gas mixture and shoots it in pulses at the circuit or chip. The plasma creates a volatile chemical reaction, during which the atoms of the plasma embed themselves at the surface of the circuit or chip, which modifies its physical properties, which is etching. Octafluorocyclobutane is an ideal gas for the plasma mixture because it chemically combines with the other gases, is non-flammable, and produces the proper volatile chemical reaction.