The injection of material into a target specimen in the form of an accelerated ion beam offers a most valuable tool for altering its physical, chemical, structural, surface and interface properties in a controlled manner and tailoring new materials for basic and applied research for science and technology. The present review describes experimental, theoretical and recent aspects of ion beam modifications at various solids, thin films, and multilayered systems covering wider energy ranges including the older basic concepts which are now of interest. These results reveal that the ion–solid interaction physics provides a unique way for controlling the produced defects of the desired type at a desired location. These interests have been stimulated by the possibilities of synthesizing novel materials with potential applications in the field of thin films, surfaces and interface science. Many applications of ion induced engineering are being developed for various sciences of high technological interest for future aspects.