Abstract A mechanistic framework is presented for impact assisted etch reactions. The consecutive reaction steps are assumed to be activated thermally and in parallel mechanically by fast particle impacts. The model explains the complicated temperature dependencies observed in dry etching and beam assisted etching, and it correlates the side wall profiles to the rate determining steps in the etch mechanisms. The framework is used to describe Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) experiments on InP with Ar + ions and chlorine, in comparison with our recent Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) experiments of magnetic alloys in HCl plasmas. The framework is also applicable to other non-thermally activated etch reactions, as encountered in tribo-chemical etching and laser chemical etching.