Ion beam etching and reactive ion etching have been shown to significantly damage silicon surfaces. In this investigation, ion beam damage is examined as a function of ion beam type (1 keV Ne+, Ar+, and Kr+) and anneal history (temperatures of 500°, 800°, and 1000°C in ambient gases Ar,dN2, and Ar + H2 ). Damage at 1 keV, as characterized by currentvoltage and ESR measurements, appears to be roughly proportional to the inverse of ion size. Relatively long anneals at high temperatures (1 hr. at 800'-1000°C depending upon ambient) are found to be necessary to restore original surface characteristics.