Disclosed are apparatuses and methods for performing atomic layer etching. A method may include modifying one or more surface layers of material on the substrate and exposing the one or more modified surface layers on the substrate to an electron source thereby removing, without using a plasma, the one or more modified surface layers on the substrate. An apparatus may include a processing chamber, a process gas unit, an electron source, and a controller with instructions configured to cause the process gas unit to flow a first process gas to a substrate in a chamber interior, the first process gas is configured to modify one or more layers of material on the substrate, and to cause the electron source to generate electrons and expose the one or more modified surface layers on the substrate to the electrons, the one or more modified surface layers being removed, without using a plasma.