Journal scope

Frequency: 24 issues per year.

Subject coverage.

• Atomic Physics
• Molecular and Cluster Structure, Properties and Dynamics
• Atomic and Molecular Collisions
• Cold Matter
• Optical and Laser Physics
• Quantum Optics, Information and Control
• Ultrafast, High-Field, and X-Ray Physics
• Astrophysics and Plasma Physics

Find out more information on the subfields associated with each subject section

Research papers. Reports of original research work; not normally more than 8500 words (10 journal pages).

Fast Track Communications (FTCs). Outstanding short papers reporting new and timely developments in atomic, molecular and optical physics including quantum optics and quantum information which justify accelerated publication. FTCs will be processed quickly and are available free to readers in the electronic journal. To facilitate a fast review process, FTCs do not normally exceed six journal pages (5000 words) and do not contain sections. Details of the research, which cannot be communicated under the length restriction, along with additional new material may be published in a subsequent full paper. Authors submitting an FTC should accompany their manuscript with a short statement outlining why they believe the work to merit high-priority publication.

In preparing an FTC authors should consider the following criteria which will be used for refereeing:

• Does the article exhibit a significant advance in the field?
• Is the research reported timely?
• Are the results significant enough to justify accelerated publication?
• Is the paper likely to be of interest to the journal’s readership?
• Is the paper written in a clear and concise style?

Topical Reviews. Review articles commissioned by the Editorial Board.

PhD Tutorials. 12,000 to 18,000 word long articles of pedagogical nature. Tutorials will guide newcomers into rapidly developing fields where text books are still missing and allow interested researchers from more distant fields to gain an insight into what they see as a new subject. A Tutorial will be either based on an excellent PhD thesis or an outstanding lecture series at a graduate Winter/Summer School. These articles are commissioned by the Editorial Board and reviewed by one or more referees. As an innovative element to enhance the pedagogical nature of Tutorials, literature ratings will be introduced to help enable readers prioritize the material they should become familiar with. The cited articles will be defined as essential reading, important literature, additional material, or not rated. These ratings should, under no circumstances, be mistaken for quality ratings.