On the microscopic level, four fundamental degrees of freedom – that of charge, spin, orbit and lattice – become intertwined, resulting in complex electronic states;[1] the concept of emergence is a common thread in the study of quantum materials.
[4] Orenstein stated,Quantum materials is a label that has come to signify the area of condensed-matter physics formerly known as strongly correlated electronic systems.
Although the field is broad, a unifying theme is the discovery and investigation of materials whose electronic properties cannot be understood with concepts from contemporary condensed-matter textbooks.
[2] Quoting:on a trivial level all materials exist thanks to the laws of quantum mechanics, and there are cynics who will privately wonder if the description isn't too broad and, well, catchy for its own good.
In essence, they provide a common thread linking disparate communities of researchers working on a variety of problems at the frontiers of physics, materials science and engineering.