Silicon carbide has been etched using a combination of high-dose ion implantation and wet chemical etching. Structural properties with respect to the remaining damage after etching have been studied using atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering / channeling, and Raman spectroscopy. No significant deterioration of the crystal quality has been found after the etching process. Moreover, the as-etched surface is characterized by a lower roughness compared to virgin material. The results demonstrate that this etching method can be used for the fabrication of contacts on silicon carbide surfaces.