Changes induced near the surface of Hg1−xCdxTe crystals due to irradiation caused by low‐energy ion beam milling have been investigated. The milling induces a thick n‐type layer near the surface, more than 10 μm thick, within 2–3 min. Most of this layer is well‐behaved n type with carrier concentration on the order of 1016 cm−3, electron mobility higher than 105 cm2/V s at 77 K, and relatively large lifetime. The temperature dependence is characteristic of uncompensated material, and compensation in highly compensated materials is reduced considerably. The sidewall effect is small; the direction of propagation obeys probably a cosine law. A three‐step mechanism is proposed to account for these phenomena, which consists of creation of extended defects, fast propagation of metal ions along them, accompanied by annihilation of metal vacancies, and recombination of defects.