ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The work presented in this thesis could not have been done without the help of a number of people all of whom I wish to thank. Special thanks should be given to Drs. Dan Michalopoulos, Steve Hansen, and Dave Powers for all their help experimentally and theoretically.
The author would also like to thank the faculties of both Pennsylvania State and Rice Universities. Special thanks are extended to Drs. Viers, Bernheim, Gold, Smalley, and Kilpatrick who have played a major role in shaping and encouraging my skills and curiosity in physical chemistry.
Of course the best is always saved for last. Gratefulness for my family's support and for my wife's encouragement and understanding cannot be expressed in words.
Also, for my wife, Victoria, an extra special acknowledgement is given for all of the work she put in to correcting and typing this thesis.
**Special note:(was not contained in the original acknowledgement, but should have been)
I would like to thank The Welch Foundation for the Robert A. Welch Predoctoral Fellowship which covered my stipend for the entire time I was at Rice. This support allowed me to focus my attention on the research contained in this thesis, involving the development and use of supersonic molecular beam techniques for the study of clusters.