Clusters as systems of bound atoms or molecules are an intermediate form of matter between atomic and bulk particles. The object of our consideration is large clusters, small particles and systems consisting of them. The main part of the book consists of more than 200 problems, each illustrating a specific aspect of clusters or their behavior in gases and plasmas.

Autorentext
Boris M. Smirnov is division head at the Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia. He is Vice Chairman of the National Council for Low Temperature Plasma and Chairman of a Section on Elementary Processes in Plasma. Professor Smirnov's research interests focus on Plasma Physics and Technology, Cluster Physics, Fractal Systems and Nanostructures. He has authored and co-authored approx. 50 books as well as 400 research articles in plasma physics, atomic physics, and atomic clusters.

Inhalt
1 Behavior of Small Particles in Gases and Plasmasy.- 1.1 Collisional Processes Involving Clusters.- 1.2 Motion of Small Particles in Gases.- 1.3 Charging of Small Particles in Plasma.- 1.4 Chemical Processes Involving Clusters and Small Particles.- 2 Interaction of Small Particles with Electric and Electromagnetic Fields.- 2.1 Electric Properties of Small Particles.- 2.2 Ionization Equilibrium in Plasma Involving Small Particles and Clusters.- 2.3 Clusters and Small Particles in Radiative Processes.- 3 Bulk Systems of Bound Atoms with Pair Interaction.- 3.1 Condensed Systems of Atoms with Pair Interaction.- 3.2 Regular Crystalline Particles of Fcc-structure.- 4 Clusters with Pair Interaction of Atoms.- 4.1 Regular Clusters of Close Packed Structures.- 4.2 Icosahedral Structure of Clusters.- 4.3 Competition of Cluster Structures.- 5 Processes and Kinetics of Cluster Growth and Decay.- 5.1 Processes of Growth and Evaporation of Clusters in Parent Gas.- 5.2 Kinetics of Cluster Evolution in Parent Gas.- 5.3 Processes of Association of Two Small Particles.- 5.4 Kinetics of Association of Small Particles.- 5.5 Growth Processes in Gases Involving Fractal Systems.- 6 Clusters at Nonzero Temperature.- 6.1 Excited Clusters.- 6.2 Transitions from Clusters to Bulk Particles.- 6.3 Phase Transitions in Bulk and Clusters.- 7 Plasma with Small Particles or Clusters.- 7.1 Small Particles in Gas Discharge Plasma.- 7.2 Aerosol Plasma.- 7.3 Structures of Small Particles in Dusty Plasma.- 7.4 Charged Clusters in Arc Plasma.- Conclusion.- A Physical Parameters and Data.- A.1 Physical Constants and Relations.- A.2 Atomic Parameters.- A.3 Gaseous Values.- A.4 Parameters of Condensed Systems.- B Mechanical and Electrical Parameters of Particles Ellipsoidal and Close Forms.- B.1 The Effective Hydrodynamic Radius.- B.3 Polarizability.- C.- C.1 Models of Clusters and Small Particles.- References.