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Metals, semiconductors, metamaterials, and various two-dimensional materials with plasmonic dispersion exhibit numerous exotic physical effects in the presence of an external bias, for example an external static magnetic field or electric current. These physical phenomena range from Faraday rotation of light propagating in the bulk to strong confinement and directionality of guided modes on the surface and are a consequence of the breaking of Lorentz reciprocity in these systems. The recent introduction of relevant concepts of topological physics, translated from condensed-matter systems to photonics, has not only given a new perspective on some of these topics by relating certain bulk properties of plasmonic media to the surface phenomena, but has also led to the discovery of new regimes of truly unidirectional, backscattering-immune, surface-wave propagation. In this article, we briefly review the concepts of nonreciprocity and topology and describe their manifestation in plasmonic materials. Furthermore, we use these concepts to classify and discuss the different classes of guided surface modes existing on the interfaces of various plasmonic systems. 

Abstract The field of quantum materials has experienced rapid growth over the past decade, driven by exciting new discoveries with immense transformative potential. Traditional synthetic methods to quantum materials have, however, limited the exploration of architectural control beyond the atomic scale. By contrast, soft matter self‐assembly can be used to tailor material structure over a large range of length scales, with a vast array of possible form factors, promising emerging quantum material properties at the mesoscale. This review explores opportunities for soft matter science to impact the synthesis of quantum materials with advanced properties. Existing work at the interface of these two fields is highlighted, and perspectives are provided on possible future directions by discussing the potential benefits and challenges which can arise from their bridging.