A transfer of hydrogen from nitrogen to silicon bonds in CVD silicon nitride under N+and He+ion bombardment is reported. The amount of H transferred is a function of the ion energy deposited in atomic processes, and the thermal stability of the transferred H is comparable to that for H retained in Si‐H bonds during deposition. H transfer is proposed to explain previously reported electrical effects of bombardment‐anneal processing of Si3N4films, and an analogy to H passivation of Si dangling bonds in a‐Si is suggested.