Abstract A simple technique for the study of the spatial distribution of the damage produced by ion implantation of silicon has been developed. The damage depth distribution for 40 keV boron ions in silicon has been studied at irradiation doses from 7 × 1011 to 3.9 × 1014 ions/cm2 and the relative defect peak depth R d/R p = 0.85 determined. An increase of layer conductivity as the surface part of the implanted layer is removed has been revealed. This effect is caused by the presence of radiation defects in the surface region of the layer. The “electrical” cluster diameter is about 28 A and the overlapping cluster dose is close to 1 × 1013 ions/cm2.