The use of two novel etch chemistries belonging to the iodofluorocarbon family, iodotrifluoroethylene and 1-iodoheptafluoropropane, has been investigated in a dielectric etch application. These substances are being explored as potential alternatives to perfluorocompounds, a fully fluorinated class of etchants that is presently in widespread use in dielectric etch processes. Whereas perfluorocompounds have global warming properties once emitted into the atmosphere, iodofluorocarbons such as those discussed in this work are presently believed not to possess long-term environmental impacts. Under the conditions tested, the two iodofluorocarbons discussed in this work have both been found to etch silicon dioxide films readily. Note that 1-iodoheptafluoropropane has also been found to be capable of etching silicon nitride films under these conditions. An Applied Materials Precision 5000 etch tool was used in this work.