Physics And Chemistry Of Finite Systems From Clusters To Crystals

Recent innovations in experimental techniques such as molecular and cluster beam epitaxy, supersonic jet expansion, matrix isolation and chemical synthesis are increasingly enabling researchers to produce materials by design and with atomic dimension. These materials constrained by sire, shape, and symmetry range from clusters containing as few as two atoms to nanoscale materials consisting of thousands of atoms. They possess unique structuraI, electronic, magnetic and optical properties that depend strongly on their size and geometry. The availability of these materials raises many fundamental questions as weIl as technological possibilities. From the academic viewpoint, the most pertinent question concerns the evolution of the atomic and electronic structure of the system as it grows from micro clusters to crystals. At what stage, for example, does the cluster look as if it is a fragment of the corresponding crystal. How do electrons forming bonds in micro-clusters transform to bands in solids? How do the size dependent properties change from discrete quantum conditions, as in clusters, to boundary constrained bulk conditions, as in nanoscale materials, to bulk conditions insensitive to boundaries? How do the criteria of classification have to be changed as one goes from one size domain to another? Potential for high technological applications also seem to be endless. Clusters of otherwise non-magnetic materials exhibit magnetic behavior when constrained by size, shape, and dimension. NanoscaIe metal particles exhibit non-linear opticaI properties and increased mechanical strength. SimiIarly, materials made from nanoscale ceramic particIes possess plastic behavior.

This book deals with a series of topics on the cutting edge of nonlinear science, striking a balance between theory and experiment. It consists of two innovative introductory presentations on dynamical systems and fluid dynamics and six chapters on advanced research. A nontrivial interrelation between the different topics becomes apparent throughout the book as an indication of the underlying unity and genericity of nonlinear phenomena. There is a continuous emphasis on conceptual issues often introduced via concrete examples. A common feature is that most of the systems under study are extended, nonhomogeneous and far from equilibrium. The book also exhibits an interesting interplay between deterministic and stochastic approaches. Contents:Order and Chaos in Dynamical Systems (X Gómez-Mont & L Ortiz-Bobadilla)Selected Topics in Fluid Dynamics (R Peralta-Fabi)Parametric Instabilities (S Fauve)Odds and Ends in Space–Time Dynamical Systems (R Lima)Scaling Theory of Aggregation (F Leyvraz)Disorder in Solids (R Barrio)Stability in Particle Beams (A Antillón)Stochastic Scattering Theory or Random-Matrix Models for Fluctuations in Microscopic and Mesoscopic Systems (H A Weidenmüller) Readership: Nonlinear scientists, physicists, applied mathematicians and research engineers. keywords:

Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications provides a comprehensive introduction to nanomaterials, from how to make them to example properties, processing techniques, and applications. Contributions by leading international researchers and teachers in academic, government, and industrial institutions in nanomaterials provide an accessibl

Nanophase Materials is the first and, as yet, the only comprehensive book published in this new and exciting area of materials science. It gives a broad overview of the revolutionary new field of nanophase materials; a view which spans the materials, physics, and chemistry research communities at a tutorial level that is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and experts or would-be experts in the science of nanostructured materials. The articles are authored by many of the world's most prominent scientists in this field. The book covers the diverse methods for synthesizing nanophase materials, a variety of subsequent processing methodologies, what is known about the structures of these materials on various length scales from atomic to macroscopic, and the properties of these unique and novel materials. The materials properties covered are mechanical, electronic, optical, and magnetic and hence span a wide range of important new opportunities for technological applications.

Covers studies on a wide range of materials, from clusters to nanostructures and quasicrystals, the emphasis being on understanding how the size-dependent properties change from discrete quantum conditions, as in nanoscale clusters, to bulk conditions that are insensitive to boundaries.

The Encyclopedia of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics introduces possibly unfamiliar areas, explains important experimental and computational techniques, and describes modern endeavors. The encyclopedia quickly provides the basics, defines the scope of each subdiscipline, and indicates where to go for a more complete and detailed explanation. Particular attention has been paid to symbols and abbreviations to make this a user-friendly encyclopedia. Care has been taken to ensure that the reading level is suitable for the trained chemist or physicist. The encyclopedia is divided in three major sections: FUNDAMENTALS: the mechanics of atoms and molecules and their interactions, the macroscopic and statistical description of systems at equilibrium, and the basic ways of treating reacting systems. The contributions in this section assume a somewhat less sophisticated audience than the two subsequent sections. At least a portion of each article inevitably covers material that might also be found in a modern, undergraduate physical chemistry text. METHODS: the instrumentation and fundamental theory employed in the major spectroscopic techniques, the experimental means for characterizing materials, the instrumentation and basic theory employed in the study of chemical kinetics, and the computational techniques used to predict the static and dynamic properties of materials. APPLICATIONS: specific topics of current interest and intensive research. For the practicing physicist or chemist, this encyclopedia is the place to start when confronted with a new problem or when the techniques of an unfamiliar area might be exploited. For a graduate student in chemistry or physics, the encyclopedia gives a synopsis of the basics and an overview of the range of activities in which physical principles are applied to chemical problems. It will lead any of these groups to the salient points of a new field as rapidly as possible and gives pointers as to where to read about the topic in more detail.

It is now some 15 years since atomic clusters were first produced and investigated in laboratories. Since then, knowledge concerning clusters has enjoyed rapid and sustained growth, and cluster research has become a new branch of science.

Covering the key theories, tools, and techniques of this dynamic field, Handbook of Nanophysics: Principles and Methods elucidates the general theoretical principles and measurements of nanoscale systems. Each peer-reviewed chapter contains a broad-based introduction and enhances understanding of the state-of-the-art scientific content through fund