What is quantum nanoscience ?

Nanotechnology can be classified under the headings: materials and devices. Nanomaterials are a suit of technologies, techniques and processes that seek to create new materials by manipulating the molecular and macro molecular constituents of matter. Nano devices require more complex processing of constituents at the nanoscale and typically use diverse materials, nanofabrication and multiple layers and even moving parts.

An example of materials nanotechnology is the chemical synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots. These materials have optical properties governed by the quantisation of the energies of electrons in the crystal. They are being applied to new kinds of optical filters and display technologies.

An example of devices nanotechnology is seen in the global race to build a quantum computer. New and complex nanofabrication methods are being developed to build key functional elements of a solid state quantum computer using atomically precise positioning of phosphorous in silicon with nanometere scale electrical addressing.

Both materials and devices can exhibit new features and functions determined by the rules of the quantum world, rules that govern at the nanoscale. Quantum nanoscience is the application of quantum theory to the design of new nanoscale materials and devices. Quantum Nanoscience explains functionality and structure in natural or engineered nanoscale systems through quantum mechanisms such as discretisation, superposition and entanglement.

In the 19th century, decades of practice with heat engines led to the new science of thermodynamics. The understanding of the world captured by thermodynamics is now part of the fabric of engineering and effective design across a vast range of different technologies. Like thermodynamics, quantum nanoscience is an enabling science for engineering and design of new nanotechnologies.

While the basic principles of quantum physics have been known for over 70 years, it is only very recently that we have gained sufficient control of matter at this scale to begin to apply quantum physics to new quantum materials and quantum devices.

The Oliphant Conference on Quantum Nanoscience is one of the first international conferences bringing together physicists, chemists and engineers to develop common principles as a foundation for a future quantum nanotechnology. The resulting understanding and systematisation will engender new materials and devices that cannot be reached by incremental progress. The purpose of quantum nanoscience is to enable generation-after-next nanotechnologies, new industries and ultimately new economies.