Clusters of Atoms and Molecules I is devoted to theoretical concepts and experimental techniques important in the rapidly expanding field of cluster science. Cluster properties are dicussed for clusters composed of alkali metals, semiconductors, transition metals, carbon, oxides and halides of alkali metals, rare gases, and neutral molecules. The book contains several well-integrated treatments, all prepared by experts. Each contribution starts out as simple as possible and ends with the latest results, so that the book can serve as a text for a course, an introduction into the field, or as a reference book for the expert.

Cluster science studies the transition from atomic, and molecular physics or chemistry to the science and technology of condensed matter. Two main topics from this large field will be emphasized in this second volume of Atomic and Molecular Clusters. After an Introduction, Chap. 2 deals mainly with molecular clusters, how they react to positive or negative charges (Sect. 2.1 to 2.5), how they decompose and how they can be charged (Sect. 2.6 and 2.7), and how one can do chemistry with them (2.8 and 2.9). Clusters in contact with a macroscopic medium are treated in Chap. 3. It is from this domain that one can expect possible new applications of cluster science. The optical spectra of silver clusters in a dielectric medium are discussed in Sect. 3.1. Their properties have since long been used unknowingly to stain glass windows. Large clusters floating in an ambient pressure gas are called aerosols (Sect. 3.2). Their properties can be used to monitor air pollution. Development of a photographic film is due to supported silver clusters in a liquid environment (Sect. 3.3). Large semiconductor clusters, also called "quantum dots," have novel optical and electronic properties (Sect. 3.4). The optical properties of large clusters, in general, are reviewed in Sect. 3.5, and properties of clusters supported on clean surfaces are discussed in Sect. 3.6.

Die hier behandelten Vielteilchensysteme - Gase, Nanosysteme und Flussigkeiten - umfassen alle Formen der Materie, die zwischen Teilchen (Bestandteile der Materie, Band 4) und Festkoerpern (Band 6) einzuordnen sind. Die Experimente stehen im Vordergrund. Zusatzlich werden alle wichtigen theoretischen Ansatze und Naherungen sowie die wesentlichen aktuellen Erkenntnisse zum komplexen Gebiet der Vielteilchen von fuhrenden Wissenschaftlern beschrieben. Insbesondere Nanoteilchen und funktionale Nanosysteme haben in den letzten Jahren fur praktische Anwendungen zunehmendes Interesse gefunden. Ihre Herstellung, die Analyse ihrer zum Teil ganz neuen physikalischen Eigenschaften und ihre Nutzungsmoeglichkeiten werden ausfuhrlich dargestellt. Pluspunkte: umfassende Darstellung des komplexen Gebiets der Vielteilchen unter Einbeziehung aller wichtigen aktuellen Erkenntnisse, fur die Erarbeitung des Stoffes im Selbststudium geeignet.