Journal profile · Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Chemical Physics Letters
ISSN 0009-2614 · eISSN 1873-4448 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Biweekly · Founded 1967
Chemical Physics Letters: CAS Zone 3 · Chemistry (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.88; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,270; review about 69 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 661 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Chemical Physics Letters is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 3 of Chemistry in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Advanced Chemical Physics Studies, Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies and Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies, together about 42.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics and Spectroscopy. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Frontier research in molecular sciences, materials and biological systemsChemical Physics Letters publishes brief reports on molecules, interfaces, condensed phases, nanomaterials and nanostructures, polymers, biomolecular systems, and energy conversion and storage.Criteria for publication are quality, urgency and impact. Further, experimental results reported in the journal have direct relevance for theory, and theoretical developments or non-routine computations relate directly to experiment. Manuscripts must satisfy these criteria and should not be minor extensions of previous work.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Editorial board by country: 18 in mainland China (about 15%); most named United States 38, Mainland China 18, United Kingdom 16, Germany 9, Italy 7 (124 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Advanced Chemical Physics StudiesPhysics and Astronomy20.9%
- Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical StudiesPhysics and Astronomy13%
- Photochemistry and Electron Transfer StudiesChemistry8.7%
- Spectroscopy and Laser ApplicationsChemistry6.5%
- Atomic and Molecular PhysicsPhysics and Astronomy4.2%
- Atmospheric Ozone and ClimateEarth and Planetary Sciences3.7%
- Molecular Spectroscopy and StructureChemistry3.6%
- Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamicsPhysics and Astronomy3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.88LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.5LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.63LetPub ·
- h-index
- 219LetPub ·
- h-index
- 345OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 41,904OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.98OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 8.86%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 552LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 68,236 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 371 | 82 | 111 |
| 2025 | 661 | 77 | 1,725 |
| 2024 | 649 | 143 | 3,168 |
| 2023 | 649 | 103 | 4,889 |
| 2022 | 834 | 127 | 9,377 |
| 2021 | 888 | 130 | 11,179 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
69 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 1 month
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 28 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 69 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,270 / EUR 3,060 / GBP 2,620 / JPY 405,580 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,410 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 100 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted4, with length limits
- brief reportThe Journal publishes brief reports which should be around 4,000 words (excluding tables and figure captions). Please note: a (combined) maximum of 8 normal-siz…main text ≤ 4,000 words
- brief reportsThe Journal publishes brief reports which should be around 4,000 words (excluding tables and figure captions).Length not stated
- commentsThe editors also welcome Comments on Letters published in the Journal.Length not stated
- letterThe Journal publishes brief reports which should be around 4,000 words (excluding tables and figure captions). Please note: a (combined) maximum of 8 normal-siz…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Biweekly
- Founded
- 1967
- ISSN
- 0009-2614
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-4448
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Chemical Physics Letters
What CAS zone is Chemical Physics Letters in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Chemical Physics Letters is in Zone 3 of Chemistry, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical / Chemistry, Physical. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Chemistry. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Chemical Physics Letters?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.88; CiteScore 5.8, h-index 345.
How long does peer review take at Chemical Physics Letters?
The publisher reports about 69 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 1 month. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Chemical Physics Letters?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 100 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Chemical Physics Letters based?
Of the 124 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 18 (about 15%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (38), Mainland China (18) and United Kingdom (16). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Chemical Physics Letters?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Chemical Physics Letters is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Chemical Physics Letters open access, and what is the APC?
Chemical Physics Letters is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,270.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .