This book is a stop-gap contribution to the science and technology of carbon plasmas and carbon vapors. It strives to cover two strongly related fields: the molecular quantum theory of carbon plasmas and carbon nanostructures; and the molecular and atomic spectroscopy of such plasmas and vapors. These two fields of research are strongly intertwined and thus reinforce one another.

Even though the use of carbon nanostructures is increasing by the day and their practical uses are emerging, there is no modern review on carbon plasmas, especially from molecular theoretical and spectroscopic viewpoints. The importance of the present book is therefore great from both educational and practical aspects. This review might be the first step towards bringing such textbooks into existence for university education. Similarly, for applied and engineering works in carbon nanostructures, the book provides a theoretical salient point for technologists in the field.