Abstract: In a method of removal of silicon carbide layers, and in particular amorphous SiC on a substrate, the exposed part of a carbide-silicon layer is at least partly converted into an oxide-silicon layer or a nitride silicon layer by exposing the carbide-silicon layer to an oxygen-containing plasma or a nitrogen-containing plasma. In a separate step, the oxide-silicon or nitride-silicon layer is then removed from the substrate. An oxygen containing plasma can be a reactive ion etch plasma, a chemical vapor deposition plasma, or a plasma afterglow. In certain embodiments, the substrate can be a component of an integrated circuit, or a component of a MEMS device.