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Microcrystals large enough to be seen in an electron microscope have long been objects of intense scientific and technological interest. Recently, it has become possible to study properties of even smaller units of matter, clusters, thus allowing the last gap betweeen molecules and crystals to be bridged. This book presents the experimental and theoretical techniques needed to study this new state of condensed matter. The material is presented so as to be understandable to an audience with varied backgrounds and interests. At the beginning of each part basic concepts are quickly reviewed for graduate students and for experts who wish to broaden their interest in theory and experiments. The concepts are then applied to current problems of general interest. The basic subjects covered by the book are cluster sources, the evolution of electronic properties of condensed matter, the microscopic view of crystal growth, the chemical reactivity of clusters, cluster stability and fragmentation.
List of contents
I Introductory Comments.- Clusters: What are They?.- II Electronic Properties.- Atomic Bonding in Clusters.- Electronic Properties of Metal Clusters.- Optical and Dynamic Properties of Metal Clusters.- Techniques for the Electronic and Structural Investigation of Cu Clusters on Graphite.- III Structure.- Computer Simulation of Clusters.- The Electronic and Geometrical Structure of Small Elemental Clusters.- Molecular Clusters.- Electronic, Structural and Thermal Properties of Microclusters from the Car-Parrinello Method.- Quantum Chemical Investigation of Alkali Metal Clusters and its use for Interpretation and Predictions of Experiments in Cluster Research.- IV Fragmentation.- Fragmentation, Reaction and Photodetachment of Mass Separated Cluster Ions.- Dissociation of Photoionized Mass Selected Alkali Clusters.- Van der Waals Clusters: Metastable Decay, Coulomb Explosion, and Electron Attachment.- V Chemistry.- The Electronic Structure of Clusters.- Clusters: Ionization, Reactions and Properties.- Chemistry on Molecular Surfaces: Reactions of Gas Phase Clusters.- Compound Clusters.- Molecular Metal Clusters: Structures and Bonding.- Index of Contributors.
