Statistical Physics of Nanoparticles in the Gas Phase

Thermal processes are ubiquitous and an understanding of thermal phenomena is essential for a complete description of the physics of nanoparticles, both for the purpose of modeling the dynamics of the particles and for the correct interpretation of experimental data. The second edition of this book follows the logic of first edition, with an emphasis on presentation of literature results and to guide the reader through derivations. Several topics have been added to the repertoire, notably magnetism, a fuller exposition of aggregation and the related area of nucleation theory. Also a new chapter has been added on the transient hot electron phenomenon. The book remains focused on the fundamental properties of nanosystems in the gas phase. Each chapter is enriched with additional new exercises and three Appendices provide additional useful material.

Author Biography: Klavs Hansen is Professor of Physics at Tianjin University. Educated at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, he has held positions in the Denmark, USA, Germany, Finland, and Sweden. His expertise is in statistical and quantum processes in free clusters and large molecules, studied at ion traps and storage rings with multiphoton ionization and fragmentation experiments. He is currently also senior visiting professor at KU Leuven.

List of new material and changes: Summary of Chapter 5 new section: rate constants with microcanonical temperature new section: Larger fragments new section: quantum statistics effect in electron emission New section: Kinetic energy release split into two sections Chapter 6 New chapter: Radiation, one section from previous chapter 5, one new section on infrared radiation. Chapter 7 New section: Kinetic energy release in the evaporative ensemble New section: Radiative cooling in the evaporative ensemble Chapter 8 The chapter on abundances will be expanded to include a better treatment of nu- cleation, including different kernels for the Smoluchowski equation, the gelation transition, and exact and asymptotic solutions. Material on nucleation theorem will be add Chapter 9 New section split off, plus some new material in section: Thermostats in MD simulations Chapter 10 New section: Magnetism New chapter 11 Hot electron reactions Chapter 13 New section Solid-to-solid phase transition The changes relative to the first edition are of two types. One is expansion of the scope of the material covered. The expansions of chapters 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 belong to that category. The other type is the introduction of new developments in the matter. This is the main motivation for the additions to chapters 5, 7, 11. There have been numerous minor changes, also in the chapters not listed above. Numerical summary 2nd (1st) editions Tables 8 (5) Figures 102 (80) Exercises 125 (74) Equations 1276 (922)