Short‐duration high‐intensity pulsed electron beams have been used to anneal ion‐implantation damage in silicon and to electrically activate the dopant species. Lattice regrowth and dopant activation were determined using4He+backscattering, SEM, TEM, and device performance characteristics as diagnostic techniques. The annealing mechanism is believed to be liquid‐phase epitaxial regrowth initiating from the substrate. The high‐temperature transient pulse produced by the electron beam causes the dopant to diffuse rapidly in the region where the liquid state is achieved.