Journal profile · Nuclear Science & Technology
Journal of Fusion Energy
ISSN 0164-0313 · eISSN 1572-9591 · Springer US · UNITED STATES · Quarterly · Founded 1981
Journal of Fusion Energy: CAS Zone 4 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.28; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,990; median 162 days to acceptance (66 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 68 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Fusion Energy is published by Springer US and is in Zone 4 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Magnetic confinement fusion research, Fusion materials and technologies and Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics, together about 43.9% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Journal of Fusion Energy is a single-blind peer-reviewed journal that provides a discussion forum for all aspects pertaining to the design, construction and operation of both public and private thermonuclear fusion sources - ranging from major power plants to fusion-based sources for industrial applications. The science and technology that directly support these applications remain an important component of JoFE’s scope. In anticipation of advances towards commercial fusion energy in the foreseeable future, the journal’s scope has been expanded to encompass the development of business-driven applications for novel technologies. This involves broader commercialisation issues, including but not limited to policy and planning, systems engineering, and industrial safety and regulation, as well as aspects related to supply chains and fusion energy in the context of sustainable development goals. The journal publishes research papers, technical reports and review articles. Manuscripts addressing economic, societal, environmental or policy issues must demonstrate a connection to the current or foreseeable state-of-the-art in fusion science and technology through an appropriate bibliography. The editorial board may solicit both short editorials and more extensive perspective papers, aiming to provide a platform for suitable contributions on potential future developments or debated open issues. Such papers are subject to internal review, solely with regard to the quality and relevance of their arguments. JoFE does not accept papers that are explicitly related to military applications of fusion energy sources. However, papers on the subjects of non-proliferation, safety and security are within its scope. The journal specifically seeks contributions addressing - Technical analysis of long-term policy and planning issues (also including e.g. supply chains, maintenance) - Conceptual/technical design reports on pilot plants and prototypes - Systems and control engineering applied to the operation of fusion-energy facilities and infrastructures - Computing and software developments regarding fusion-based sources, facilities and infrastructures (also including e.g. digital twins) - Sustainable development goals: waste management, socio-economic impact studies - Applications and commercialisation of fusion energy: fusion electricity, fusion engines - Hybrid energy systems involving fusion-based sources Within the traditional fields of fusion science and technology, the jou
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Nuclear Science & Technology
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 9%); most named United Kingdom 3, United States 2, Japan 2, Mainland China 1, France 1 (11 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Magnetic confinement fusion researchPhysics and Astronomy20.7%
- Fusion materials and technologiesMaterials Science13.1%
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and DiagnosticsPhysics and Astronomy10%
- Superconducting Materials and ApplicationsEngineering6.4%
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineeringEngineering6.1%
- Nuclear Physics and ApplicationsPhysics and Astronomy5.8%
- Particle accelerators and beam dynamicsEngineering5.7%
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamicsPhysics and Astronomy3.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 2.28LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.6LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.23LetPub ·
- h-index
- 26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 45OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 476OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.96OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 13%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 43.94%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 61LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 175,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,384 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 58 | 40 | 5 |
| 2025 | 68 | 43 | 86 |
| 2024 | 77 | 58 | 104 |
| 2023 | 55 | 32 | 280 |
| 2022 | 25 | 9 | 211 |
| 2021 | 24 | 2 | 164 |
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
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
162 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 108 days – 269 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 17 days (90 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 173 days
- Sample
- 66 articles with submission and acceptance dates (138 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 3,990 / EUR 2,990 / GBP 2,590 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Required
Article types accepted2
- original researchOriginal Research, Review Article, etc Back to topLength not stated
- review articleOriginal Research, Review Article, etc Back to topLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Conflict of interest
When an author or the institution of the author has a relationship, financial or otherwise, with individuals or organizations that could influence the author’s work inappropriately, a conflict of interest may exist. Examples of potential conflicts of interest may include but are not limited to academic, personal, or political relationships; employment; consultancies or honoraria; and finical conne…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Ethical standards
Manuscripts submitted for publication must contain a declaration that the experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed. Please include this note in a separate section before the reference list.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Journal of Fusion Energy, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
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
- Springer US
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1981
- ISSN
- 0164-0313
- Electronic ISSN
- 1572-9591
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Fusion Energy
What CAS zone is Journal of Fusion Energy in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Fusion Energy is in Zone 4 of Engineering, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Nuclear Science & Technology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Fusion Energy?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.28; CiteScore 2.5, h-index 45.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Fusion Energy?
Based on the dates recorded on 66 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 162 days (interquartile range 108–269 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. 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 Journal of Fusion Energy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: 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 Journal of Fusion Energy based?
Of the 11 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 9%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (3), United States (2) and Japan (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Fusion Energy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Fusion Energy is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Fusion Energy open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Fusion Energy is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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: .