High current pulsed electron beam(HCPEB) has been developed intensively as a new high-power energetic beam used for the surface modification of materials in the last few decades.Based on the introduction of characteristics of electron beam applied in surface treatment, the research progress in electron beam technologies, such as phase transformation strengthening, surface remelting, surface alloying, surface amorphous transformation,and thin layer annealing, is discussed in this paper. How to widen the appl...