Clusters And Nano-assemblies: Physical And Biological Systems

Book excerpt: While the field of clusters and nano-structures in the physical sciences has been actively pursued only over the past two decades, nature has known the benefits of the nanoscale for a very long time. The focus of the International Symposium on Clusters and Nano-Assemblies: Physical and Biological Systems was to explore ways in which an understanding of the unique properties of nano-scale biological systems such as proteins, enzyme reactions, RNA, and DNA can help us design novel materials composed of inorganic nano-scale systems, and how techniques developed in the physical sciences can lead to a fundamental understanding of biological systems. Bringing together the expert contributions from the conference, this book deals with the fundamental science and technology of atomic clusters, nano-structures and their assemblies in physical and biological systems. It explores in fascinating detail the manner in which finite size, low dimensionality, and reduced symmetry affect the properties of nano-assemblies.