Small clusters are entities comprised of assemblies of atoms or molecules which often display properties that differ from the individual components and the bulk and, hence, are considered a unique state of matter. Investigating ones of differing sizes provides information that serves to bridge states of matter and, as recently shown, cluster research bridges many disciplines of science. This plenary lecture focused on the varying properties of matter of restricted size, the ability to produce clusters that mimic elements of the periodic table and, hence, behave as super-atoms that can serve as building blocks for new nanoscale matter with designed properties. Mass spectrometry has in the past, and continues in the future, to play a central role in this field.

Keywords: clusters, superatoms, building blocks of new materials, cluster reactivity, mass spectra of clusters, cluster properties