Physics Theory of Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials: Topological Phase Transitions, Spin Effects and Quantum Transport

Dear Colleagues,

The field of condensed matter physics and material physics is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the synergistic convergence of low-dimensional materials, topological quantum phenomena, and spintronics. This serves as an invitation to contribute to a forthcoming Special Issue of Nanomaterials, titled “Physics Theory of Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials: Topological Phase Transitions, Spin Effects and Quantum Transport”.

The journey began with the isolation of graphene, which unveiled a world where quantum effects dominate in atomically-thin, two-dimensional platforms. This breakthrough was followed by the exploration of other van der Waals materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), providing a rich playground with diverse electronic properties. In parallel, the discovery of topological insulators demonstrated that bulk band topology can dictate the existence of protected conducting states at material boundaries. The fusion of these two fronts—low dimensionality and band topology—has given rise to a new paradigm. We now understand that topological properties are not confined to edge states but manifest in a rich landscape of bulk phenomena, such as the various Hall effects (spin, anomalous, valley, layer), which arise from the Berry curvature and quantum geometry of the electronic wavefunctions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to capture the cutting edge of this rapidly evolving field and provide a platform for the most significant advances. Our scope is to highlight research that leverages low-dimensional materials as ideal platforms to explore, control, and harness interconnected quantum degrees of freedom—namely charge, spin, valley, and layer. We seek to illuminate how the expanded toolbox of topological states is paving the way for a new generation of quantum electronic phenomena with transformative potential for information technology.

This Special Issue will focus on the most exciting contemporary research directions, including but not limited to the following:

• Realization of Novel Hall Effects: Exploration and manipulation of the valley Hall and layer Hall effects, and their quantum analogues, in mono- and few-layer heterostructures.
• Twistronics and Moiré Engineering: Controlling electronic correlations and topology through the twist angle in artificially stacked van der Waals heterostructures.
• Topological Spintronics and Valleytronics: Efficient generation, transport, and detection of pure spin and valley currents with long diffusion lengths and minimal dissipation.
• Proximity Effects: Inducing topological phases and spin–orbit coupling in 2D materials through proximity to magnetic or strongly spin–orbit coupled layers.
• Nonlinear and Nonlocal Transport: Investigating new quantum responses driven by Berry curvature multipoles and other geometric properties.

We welcome the submission of high-quality original research articles, communications, and comprehensive reviews that align with the scope of this Special Issue. Topics of interest include the following:

• Theoretical and experimental studies on topological transport in graphene, TMDs, and other 2D materials.
• Design and characterization of novel quantum devices based on topological states (e.g., for “valleytronics” or “topotronics”).
• Advanced spectroscopic and transport measurements probing spin-, valley-, and layer-polarized states.
• First-principles calculations and model Hamiltonian studies predicting new topological phases in low dimensions.
• Research on the interplay between topology, superconductivity, and magnetism in 2D systems.

We believe your work would be a valuable addition to this Special Issue, and we look forward to receiving your research contributions.

Prof. Dr. Xuechao Zhai
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• low-dimensional nanomaterials
• topological properties
• spintronics
• quantum transport