The specific aspects of IBA for near surface and thin film analysis are discussed. In a number of cases IBA is the only analytical tool that may provide the information sought, in other cases it provides the most accessible or practical technique to be applied. While IBA is insensitive to the chemical state of the atoms analysed, it is unique in particular for determining with high accuracy and sensitivity absolute atomic quantities or concentrations, for studying with channeling techniques the atomic structure of crystalline thin films or materials near the surface, for isotopic tracing experiments with stable isotopes using nuclear reactions or resonances. Its advantages and drawbacks with respect to SIMS will be especially outlined. Due to these unique characteristics IBA has a long history of application, in combination with other characterisation methods, to a number of problems encountered in materials science, solid state and surface physics, solid state electrochemistry, thin film deposition or growth studies, trace and contamination determinations, etc. Representative applications will be presented that could not be obtained without IBA. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.