7. Conclusion

Over the past fifty years, the scientific community's research into ion/matter interaction has led to new instrumental developments and numerous technology transfers to industry. Ion implantation doping, an essential manufacturing process in the semiconductor industry, is a prime example.

This article provides a non-exhaustive overview of the use of ion beams in various fields of application (metallurgy, microelectronics, nuclear waste storage, etc.). Ion beams offer considerable potential for simulating material ageing, applying localized stresses and modifying the structural, optical, magnetic, mechanical and transport properties of materials.

More than a technique, ion beams offer, via their experimental parameters, additional degrees of freedom to act on matter. Understanding the interaction between ions and matter is therefore essential...