STRUCTURE AND TRANSFORMATION - LARGE MOLECULAR CLUSTERS AS MODELS OF CONDENSED MATTER

This paper reviews investigations of homogeneous nucleation in phase t ransitions in large molecular clusters. The principal techniques broug ht to bear are electron diffraction analyses of transformations in clu sters formed by condensation of vapor in supersonic expansions and com puter simulations of spontaneous phase changes in clusters. Results ob tained to date are contrasted with those of larger systems and interpr eted in terms of nucleation theory. The review also refers to some unr esolved aspects of nucleation theory.