Exemplary methods for selectively removing silicon nitride may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor, and oxygen-containing precursor and a silicon-containing precursor into a local plasma to form plasma effluents. The plasma effluents may remove silicon nitride at significantly higher etch rates compared to exposed silicon oxide on the substrate. The methods may also remove silicon nitride more rapidly that silicon carbide and silicon oxycarbide which broadens the utility of the present technology to semiconductor applications.