Cluster formation in nuclear multifragmentation

The problem of fragment formation in excited systems is investigated both for excited finite and expanding infinite systems. For finite systems we present recent results obtained in the frame of the Quantum Molecular Dynamics model(QMD). For infinite systems we use a molecular dynamics method that simulates the behavior of condensed matter under homogeneous adiabatic expansion,. In both cases we investigate the time evolution of the most bound fluctuations in phase-space using the Early Cluster Recognition Algorithm (ECRA) and their relation to the final cluster spectrum.