Manipulation of nanoparticles in supersonic beams for the production of nanostructured materials

Production and manipulation of nanoparticles in the gas phase is of primary importance for the synthesis of nanostructured materials and for the development of industrial processes based on nanotechnology. In this review we will present and discuss the approach based on the use of aerodynamic focusing methods coupled to supersonic expansions to obtain high intensity cluster beams with a control on nanoparticle mass and spatial distribution. The implication of this techniques for the synthesis of nanostructured materials will be also presented.