Physics with high-energy cluster beams

The interest of physicists in working with high energy cluster beams is increasing, in particular in France where the hydrogen cluster accelerator at Lyon has been recently upgraded to deliver Hn+ beams in the energy range 60-100 keV/u, n 60n+-C70n+ clusters will produce beams of metallic clusters. As a matter of fact, the use of mass-selected high-energy clusters as projectiles appears to be an important source of information on the interaction of particles and clusters with matter (solid, gas, electron, plasma) and related phenomena, and on the clusters themselves. Results (experiments and Monte Carlo simulation) on the interaction of Hn+ clusters with thin foils and some perspectives of investigation with fast clusters are presented.