[en] The research on ion-induced sputtering has been continued for a long time, since a hundred or more years ago. However, it was only in 1969 by Sigmund that the sputtering phenomena were theoretically arranged into the present form. The reason why the importance of sputtering phenomena have been given a new look recently is the application over wide range. This paper is a review centering around the mechanism of causing sputtering and its characteristics. Sputtering is such a phenomenon that the atoms in the vicinity of a solid surface are emitted into vacuum by receiving a part of ion energy, or in other words, it is a kind of irradiation damage in the vicinity of a solid surface. In this meaning, it can be considered that the sputtering based on the ions located on the clean surface of a single element metal is simple, and has already been basically understood. On the contrary, the phenomena can not be considered to be fully understood in the case of alloys and compounds, because these surface conditions under irradiation are not always clear due to segregation and others. In the paper, the physical of sputtering, single element sputtering, the sputtering in alloys and compounds, and the behaviour of emitted particles are explained. Finally, some recent topics of the sputtering measurement by laser resonant excitation, the sputtering by electron excitation, chemical sputtering, and the sputtering in nuclear fusion reactors are described. (Wakatsuki, Y.)