A special case of the x-ray multiple diffraction phenomenon, the Bragg surface diffraction (BSD), has been investigated under lattice damage due to ion implantation in GaAs (001) samples. The BSD profile is very sensitive to the diffraction regime (dynamical or kinematical) and provides information regarding crystalline perfection and lattice strains in both directions—parallel and perpendicular—to the sample surface. Results from grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction and reciprocal space mapping are also reported. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.