Method for selectively removing nickel platinum material

A method of selectively removing NiPt material from a microelectronic substrate including NiPt and NiPt silicide, the method comprising;

• i) contacting the NiPt material with an aqueous etching composition comprising:
• from 0.1 to 5 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, of an oxidizing agent component, wherein the oxidizing agent component is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2);
• from 1 wt % to 20 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, of a strong acid component selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, methanesulfonic acid, and combinations thereof;
• from 1 wt % to 6 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, of a source of chloride component selected from the group consisting of ammonium chloride, HCl, and combinations thereof;
• and
• from 70 to 95 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, of water,
• wherein the strong acid component and the source of chloride component are present in a ratio of 5:1 to 1:5,
• wherein the oxidizing agent component and strong acid component are present in a ratio of 5:1 to 1:5, and
• wherein the oxidizing agent component and source of chloride component are present in a ratio of 5:1 to 1:5;
• and
• ii) selectively removing the NiPt relative to the NiPt silicide with a NiPt etch rate of at least 100 Å/min, a NiPt silicide etch rate of at most 10 Å/min, and with a selectivity ratio of at least 40:1.