What is this collection about?
Understanding and controlling the behaviour of quantum materials on their natural timescales remains one of the central challenges in contemporary physics and materials science. Recent breakthroughs in ultrafast science have enabled a diverse suite of experimental approaches capable of accessing matter on femtosecond to attosecond timescales, including:
- Attosecond spectroscopy, probing electron dynamics on sub-femtosecond timescales to resolve charge motion in real time;
- High-harmonic generation in solids, providing insight into band structure, symmetry, and topology;
- Free-electron laser experiments, enabling element-specific ultrafast X-ray studies;
- Ultrafast X-ray and electron diffraction, tracking transient structural dynamics in solids and molecules;
- Pump-probe and strong-field optical methods, revealing nonequilibrium states and light-driven phase transitions.
Together, these approaches provide complementary insights into the coupled electronic and structural responses of quantum materials. From correlated electron systems to low-dimensional and topological materials, they allow researchers to capture transient states, disentangle competing interactions, and uncover emergent phenomena that are inaccessible in equilibrium, paving the way for future technologies based on light–matter control and manipulation.
With this cross-journal Collection, the editors at Nature Communications, Communications Materials and Scientific Reports invite manuscripts highlighting advances in nonlinear optical techniques to reveal and manipulate electronic, lattice, and spin dynamics far from equilibrium. Nature Communications and Communications Materials will consider original Articles, Reviews and Perspectives. Scientific Reports will consider original Articles. All submissions will be subject to the same editorial criteria and review process as regular submissions at the participating journals.
Why is this collection important?
This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure.
Why submit to a collection?
Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by In-House Editors who are experts in their fields and supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.
Who is involved?
This is a cross-journal Collection involving Nature Communications, Communications Materials, and Scientific Reports. Authors are welcome to submit to any of the participating journals. All manuscripts published in the collection are hosted on a dedicated nature portfolio portal, giving articles high visibility beyond the journal they are published in.
How can I submit my paper?
Visit the Collection page to find out more about this collection and submit your article.