Quantum nanomaterials – emerging platforms for next-generation quantum science and technology

Yujeong Bae

Dr. Yujeong Bae is a group leader of the Quantum Magnetism Group at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. She received her B.S. in physics and mathematics and PhD in physics from Ewha Womans University, and carried out postdoctoral research at the Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS), Institute for Basic Science, and IBM Almaden Research Center. She subsequently established her independent research group at QNS. Since 2024, she has been at Empa, where her work focuses on the quantum coherent properties of low-dimensional materials, including carbon nanostructures and 2D materials, bridging bottom-up materials synthesis and functional quantum devices.

Paola Ceroni

Paola Ceroni is a full professor at the University of Bologna. In 1998 she obtained her PhD degree in chemical sciences at the University of Bologna, after a period in the United States (Prof. Allen J. Bard's laboratory). Her current research is focused on luminescent nanocrystals and photocatalysis. Her research on luminescent silicon nanocrystals was funded by an ERC Starting Grant PhotoSi and an ERC Proof of Concept SiNBiosys. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an associate editor of Dalton Transactions.

Yi Chen

Yi Chen is an Assistant Professor in Department of Physics at Peking University, working at the intersection of quantum materials and quantum coherent control. He received B.S. in physics from Peking University in 2014 and Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020. After postdoctoral research at the Center for Quantum Nanoscience, he returned to Peking University in February 2023. In 2024 he received the Heinrich Rohrer Rising Medal. His recent research interests include developing new scanned probe methods for 2D moiré systems.

Quantum nanomaterials are rapidly emerging as a cornerstone of next-generation quantum science and technology. By combining nanoscale controllability, reduced dimensionalities and engineered functionalities, nanomaterials provide unprecedented pathways to designer quantum states of matter. From single spin atoms/defects and quantum dots to molecular quantum platforms and correlated 2D systems, the field is advancing at an extraordinary pace.

The ability to control matter at the nanoscale has transformed our understanding of quantum phenomena. Reduced dimensionalities enhance quantum confinement effects, enable tunable electronic and optical properties, and allow precise engineering of interactions between spins, photons, and charges. These advances are laying the foundation for scalable quantum communication, sensing, and information-processing architectures.

This themed collection brings together contributions spanning synthesis, materials engineering, advanced spectroscopy, theoretical modeling, and device integration. The articles highlight several key directions currently shaping the field:

• The synthesis and design of low-dimensional materials and their integration into a device setup: for example, light outcoupling in QLEDs¹ and scalable synthesis of Ge QDs² and Si QDs.³

• Spin-based platforms for quantum sensing and information processing: the quantum coherence of single spins on surfaces⁴ and magnetic adatom chains in superconductors.⁵

• Carbon-based and other 2D nanomaterials for tunable quantum functionalities: see, e.g., tuning the optical properties by surface functionalization of MXene-QDs⁶ and nanocomposites of carbon dots and MOFs⁷ and carbon QDs for sensing.⁸

• Advanced characterization techniques enabling atomic-precision measurements: a cryo-optical setup for wide-field microscopy and spectroscopy⁹ and high-precision AFM cutting of graphene.¹⁰

Together, these works demonstrate how nanomaterial design and nanoscale control enable previously inaccessible quantum functionalities. Importantly, the collection reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field, bridging chemistry, materials science, physics, and engineering.

As quantum technologies transition from fundamental exploration toward scalable implementation, material innovation will remain central. Challenges such as coherence preservation, reproducibility, defect control, and integration into functional architectures require continued collaboration across disciplines.

We hope that this collection will serve not only as a snapshot of current progress but also as a stimulus for further advances in quantum nanomaterials. The diversity and quality of the contributions underscore the vibrancy of this rapidly evolving field.

We thank all authors and reviewers for their valuable contributions and the editorial team for their support in assembling this collection.

References

1. R. K. Jha, H. Kim and S.-Y. Cho, Light outcoupling strategies for quantum dot light–emitting diodes, Nanoscale, 2026, 18, 2916–2941,  10.1039/D5NR03160E.
2. S. H. Park, G. M. Seo, J. W. Kim, Y. H. Lee, G. Lee, H. J. Lee and B. D. Kong, Scalable synthesis of spatially confined Ge quantum dots with tunable quantum confinement, Nanoscale, 2026, 18(1), 298–306,  10.1039/D5NR04252F.
3. F. Matějka, P. Galář, J. Khun, M. Dopita, A. Michalcová, T. Popelář, J. Benedikt and K. Kůsová, Scalable and bright: unlocking functional silicon quantum dots with near–unity internal quantum yield through universal plasma–driven engineering, Nanoscale, 2025, 17, 27319–27336,  10.1039/D5NR03184B.
4. D. Xuan, D. Wu, X. Geng, S. Li, X. Wu, Y. Wang and X. Zhang, Quantum coherence and relaxation of single spins on surfaces probed by ESR–STM, Nanoscale, 2025, 17(45), 26024–26032,  10.1039/D5NR03773E.
5. L. M. Rütten, E. Liebhaber, G. Reecht, K. Rossnagel and K. J. Franke, Direct signatures of d–level hybridization and dimerization in magnetic adatom chains on a superconductor, Nanoscale, 2025, 17, 26811–26819,  10.1039/D5NR03194J.
6. B. Vénosová and F. Karlický, Effects of surface functionalization and size of MXene–based quantum dots on their optical properties: the exciton confinement matters, Nanoscale, 2025, 17(42), 24529–24540,  10.1039/D5NR03127C.
7. T. P. Brito, L. Llanos and D. P. Singh, Carbon dots and metal–organic frameworks based nanohybrids for improved biosensing and biomedical applications, Nanoscale Adv., 2026, 8(5), 1450–1489,  10.1039/D5NA00950B.
8. S. A. Hira, S. Durairaj, C. A. Ramirez and A. Chen, Recent advances in carbon–based quantum dots for sensing applications, Nanoscale, 2025, 17, 27762–27783,  10.1039/D5NR03879K.
9. L. Tallarini, G. Lapo, M. C. López Cerón, I. G. Scheblykin and D. Baranov, Cryo–optical setup for wide–field microscopy and spectroscopy of luminescent nanomaterials, Nanoscale, 2026, 18(3), 1474–1482,  10.1039/D5NR04127A.
10. Z. Wu, X. Zhou, K. Xu, Z. Zhang, Y. Xie, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi and Z. Shi, High–precision AFM cutting of graphene via improved electrode–free local anodic oxidation for electronic band engineering, Nanoscale, 2025, 17(44), 25657–25663,  10.1039/D5NR03204K.

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