The temperature dependence of the amorphization in α-quartz by Ne-ion bombardment has been investigated using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling geometry (RBS-C). The experimental results show that the critical temperature Tc for inhibiting amorphization in quartz is around 940 K. The damage depth profile χ3(z, φ) is independent of the temperature and fluence and can be simulated with a power-law function [χ(z, φ) α (φFD(z))3] of the damage energy distribution FD (z). At low irradiation temperature, the critical dose φc for amorphization is independent of the temperature but it strongly increases at higher temperatures with an activation energy of 0.28 eV and has been explained by out-diffusion model of Morehead and Crowder. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.