Directed beams of energetic ions are used extensively for the synthesis, modification, and analysis of advanced materials, with major developments being represented in key conference series such as Ion Beam Modifications of Materials (IBMM) and Ion Beam Analysis (IBA).

This special issue will be edited with the aim to give the ion beam community a peer-reviewed collection of original research contributions on the newest developments applying these techniques in the field of materials science.

We invite all researchers to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that can reflect properly the innovative character of these techniques and the huge efforts of technical development that have been made in the recent past.

We have to emphasize that this special issue is a free access publication open to everybody who is interested in this field. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Particle tracks
• Single-ion implantation for quantum computing
• Novel materials synthesis
• Synthesis of nanostructured materials
• Interface engineering
• Atomic transport at interfaces
• Methods of light-element analysis
• Radiation effects on reactor materials
• Ion beam analysis with nanometer resolution
• Microbeams and focused ion beams
• Irradiation effects in semiconductors
• Modification and analysis of magnetic thin films
• Plasma-based ion implantation

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/amse/guidelines.html. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: