The diffusion of As in polycrystalline silicon films subjected to rapid thermal annealing has been studied using sheet resistance and Rutherford backscattering. The polycrystalline Si films were deposited on oxidized silicon wafers, implanted with As, and annealed with a Varian IA‐200 isothermal annealer. Infrared radiation from a resistively heated sheet of graphite heats the wafer, in a vacuum, to temperatures >1000 °C for times on the order of a few seconds. The rate of diffusion and rate of loss of As from the polycrystalline Si is much faster than the diffusion rate and loss rate in single crystal Si annealed with identical conditions. Diffusion prior to grain growth agrees with previously reported results for As in polycrystalline Si. However, grain growth appears to enhance As diffusion.