Any series of hot topics in materials science, must recognise the continued development of micro and nanotechnology towards quantum lengths and time scales, where materials properties become singular and quantised.

We have already seen examples of quantum materials and systems in active use, including magnetic sensing materials and photonic materials, but as Richard Feynman famously said, ‘there’s plenty of room at the bottom’. Many new materials have yet to be discovered and there is much physics still to be explored at the quantum scale which promise new functionalities, higher sensitivities, lower power and further insights into the fundamental properties of matter itself.