The contributed volume of fourteen chapters is opened by a remark from one of the editors K. Fukui (1918-1998). The Nobel laureate of 1981 calls nanotubes and fullerenes 'splendid gift' and points out that such developments of mesoscopic scale suggest the possibility to realize the 'Schroedinger-cat states'.

The following three chapters treat various essential aspects of carbon nanotubes. M. Yumura deals with synthesis and purification of nanotubes. Their electron diffraction and microscopy is described by S. Amelinckx et al. The third chapter in this block, written by T. Hanada et al., discusses electron energy loss spectroscopy as a tool for nanotube structural studies.

The group of the next five chapters is devoted to more specific aspects of nanotube structure and behavior. Electronic structure of single-walled nanotubes is analyzed in a theoretical chapter by K. Tanaka et al. The following chapter from R. Saito et al. deals with phonon structure and Raman effect of single-walled nanotubes. Contribution from H. Ajiki and T. Ando describes behavior of single-walled nanotubes in magnetic fields. M. Kosaka and K. Tanigaki report on electronic properties of nanotubes probed by magnetic measurements. The last chapter of this block is written be F. Bommeli et al. and deals with optical spectra of nanotubes.

The last block of five papers is already closer to potential applications. The contribution by J.-P. Issi and J.-C. Charlier, actually the longest chapter of the volume, discusses experimental and theoretical aspects of electrical transport in nanotubes. The following chapter from D. Ugarte et al. deals with capillarity phenomena in nanotubes. Contribution written by H. W. Kroto et al. describes large-scale synthesis of nanotubes by pyrolysis. S. Yoshimura discusses nanotubes as a novel pi-electron material and their possible technological applications. The closing chapter by H. Ago and T. Yamabe surveys the present research and application frontiers.

The nicely-produced book gives all this on 191 pages. The chapters are written by leading experts, concentrate on their respective fields of expertise, and are oriented towards advanced researchers rather than to students.

ISBN: 0 08 042696 4