[en] Briefly, the paper provides some basic information on the use of ion beams for surface alloying and surface analysis. After a brief historical review of those fields in which the techniques are already widely applied the important features of typical ion beam machines are described. The basic processes that occur when an ion beam strikes a solid are then considered. Selected ion beam analysis techniques are then discussed. Attention is drawn, wherever possible, to applications in corrosion science and engineering. (author)