Not merely a discussion of small particles or clusters of atoms, molecules, but also the systems they constitute. The goal is to analyse the properties of such finite aggregates and their behaviour in gases and plasmas, and to investigate processes that involve such clusters, based on lectures and seminar problems for graduates. The main part of the book includes more than 200 problems, covering collisions, charge transfer, chemical reactions, condensed systems and their structures, kinetics of cluster growth, excited clusters, the transition from clusters to bulk particles, and small particles, dust, and aerosols in plasmas. Reference data for corresponding parameters of systems under consideration is given in the appendices. Of interest to physicists, astrophysicists, and chemists.

A lively demonstration of the great vitality and the multidisciplinary character of cluster research and of the usefulness of synthesizing its various aspects was given at this symposium. This volume covers all aspects of the physical and chemical properties of free and supported clusters or small particles: static, dynamical, electronic, magnetic and optical properties, adsorption and chemical phenomena. It thus gives a complete overview of the status of the field and its development.

This book covers the state of the art in the physics of small particles and clusters. It covers a wide range of topics from quantization of free clusters, laser spectroscopy of clusters, fullerenes, clusters on supporting surfaces and much more. The papers can also be found in Zeitschrift fur Physik D."

This issue of Zeitschrift fUr Physik D contains papers which were presented at the 5th International Symposium on Small Particles and Inorganic Clusters. ISSPIC5 was held at the University of Konstanz, Germany, from September 10 to 14, 1990. There were 33 invited talks, and 295 papers were contributed. 14 particularly interesting papers had been selected by the International Advisory Board: they were presented during one of the regular sessions. In addition, two last-minute contributions, describing break throughs in the synthesis and characterization of size-selected fullerene carbon clusters, were communicated orally. The other contributions were presented during two poster sessions, comprising nearly twice as many papers as during the previous symposium in Aix-en-Provence, in 1988. Approximately 250 manuscripts were received, and all were refereed during the sympo sium. Several of them had to be revised, but only a small number were rejected. The contributions in this volume are grouped according to the topic, roughly following the scheme adopted during the conference.

The monograph is devoted to the relatively new and fast developing field of cluster physics. It is based on talks given at the Cluster Workshops, which were held in Pushchino in 1995 and 1996. The reports focus not only on the fundamental physical properties of clusters such as their geometric and electronic structure, as well as optical, thermal and magnetic properties, but also on a broad spectrum of their potential applications. These include nucleation and growth of small particles, fabrication of new materials with predefined properties (cluster-assembled and nanostructures). Some aspects of simulations and calculations of small particles and clusters are also discussed.We hope that our monograph will be of interest to a broad range of readers who will be able to sense the excitement of the talks.