Diamond films were implanted with Art or 0 ions at multiple energies in order to produce a uniform region of C vacancies. Analysis of the implanted films by Raman spectroscopy has shown that the proportion of non-diamond or amorphous carbon increased with dose (5 x 10(13) to 5 x 10(15) ions/cm(2)). For implantation with An ions, a complete amorphization near to the surface was evident at a dose of 5 x 1015 ions/cm(2). We have examined the ion beam etch (IBE) rate of the films as a function of the implant species and dose. The etching experiments were performed using either Ar or Ar/O-2 gases at a bias energy of 5001000 eV. In Ar gas, the process of sputter etching has produced a similar increase in etch rate with dose for both the An and 0 implants. In Ar/O-2, gases, the process of ion-enhanced chemical etching produced greater etch rates than obtained in Ar gas with higher rates for the An than the O implants. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.