Journal profile · Optics
Journal of Modern Optics
ISSN 0950-0340 · eISSN 1362-3044 · Taylor and Francis Ltd. · ENGLAND · Semimonthly · Founded 1987
Journal of Modern Optics: CAS Zone 4 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 0.85; subscription journal; APC charged, amount not published; median 210 days to acceptance (104 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 148 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Modern Optics is published by Taylor and Francis Ltd. and is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Photonic and Optical Devices, Quantum Information and Cryptography and Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies, together about 27.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The journal (under its former title Optica Acta) was founded in 1953 - some years before the advent of the laser - as an international journal of optics. Since then optical research has changed greatly; fresh areas of inquiry have been explored, different techniques have been employed and the range of application has greatly increased. The journal has continued to reflect these advances as part of its steadily widening scope. Journal of Modern Optics aims to publish original and timely contributions to optical knowledge from educational institutions, government establishments and industrial R&D groups world-wide. The whole field of classical and quantum optics is covered. Papers may deal with the applications of fundamentals of modern optics, considering both experimental and theoretical aspects of contemporary research. In addition to regular papers, there are topical and tutorial reviews. The journal is particularly keen to publish good quality article collections and special issues on areas of current importance. If you are interested in proposing a topic for an article collection, or for a special issue, please send a one-page synopsis explaining its topicality and likely content to Professor Khare: kedark@opc.iitd.ac.in All manuscript submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. General topics covered include: • Optical and photonic materials (inc. metamaterials) • Plasmonics and nanophotonics • Quantum optics (inc. quantum information) • Optical instrumentation and technology (inc. detectors, metrology, sensors, lasers) • Coherence, propagation, polarization and manipulation (classical optics) • Scattering and holography (diffractive optics) • Optical fibres and optical communications (inc. integrated optics, amplifiers) • Vision science and applications • Medical and biomedical optics • Nonlinear and ultrafast optics (inc. harmonic generation, multiphoton spectroscopy) • Imaging and Image processing Topical and Tutorial Reviews In order to best provide optical scientists with the highest quality information on current research topics, Journal of Modern Optics publishes two styles of review articles: topical reviews and tutorial reviews. Topical reviews are aimed primarily at the specialist already working on the topic covered or in a closely related area. Tutorial reviews emphasize the basics and are aimed at a structured introd
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Optics
Editor-in-chief Kedar KharePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 29%); most named United States 3, Mainland China 2, United Kingdom 1, India 1 (7 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Photonic and Optical DevicesEngineering9.8%
- Quantum Information and CryptographyComputer Science9.3%
- Advanced Fiber Laser TechnologiesPhysics and Astronomy8.2%
- Quantum optics and atomic interactionsPhysics and Astronomy7.8%
- Laser-Matter Interactions and ApplicationsPhysics and Astronomy5.7%
- Orbital Angular Momentum in OpticsPhysics and Astronomy5.2%
- Quantum Mechanics and ApplicationsPhysics and Astronomy4.9%
- Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein CondensatesPhysics and Astronomy4.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Optics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Optics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Optics | 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 CompendexINSPECMathSciNetzbMATHCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: ProQuest, Astrophysics Data System, Academic Keys, Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, CASSI SM, Clarivate Analytics: SciSearch®, Electronic Journals Library (EZB), ProQuest® Abstracts in New Technology & Engineering, ProQuest® Aerospace Database, ProQuest® Aluminium Industry Abstracts, ProQuest® Ceramic Abstracts, ProQuest® Civil Engineering Abstracts, ProQuest® Computer and Information Systems Abstracts, ProQuest® Copper Technical Reference Library, ProQuest® Corrosion Abstracts, ProQuest® Earth, Atmospheric & Aquatic Science Database, ProQuest® Earthquake Engineering Abstracts Database, ProQuest® Electronics and Communications Database, ProQuest® Engineered Materials Abstracts, ProQuest® Materials Business File, ProQuest® METADEX, ProQuest® Natural Science Collection, ProQuest® SciTech Premium Collection, ProQuest® Solid State and Superconductivity Abstracts, Science & Technology Collection
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
- 0.85LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 0.9Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 0.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.22LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.22Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.3LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.3Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 81LetPub ·
- h-index
- 137OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,113OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.15OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 11.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 0.33%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 158LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 122,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 10,430 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 84 | 6 | 18 |
| 2025 | 148 | 7 | 152 |
| 2024 | 73 | 11 | 182 |
| 2023 | 87 | 7 | 184 |
| 2022 | 106 | 7 | 457 |
| 2021 | 155 | 17 | 1,097 |
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
210 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 134 days – 281 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 15 days (104 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 227 days
- Sample
- 104 articles with submission and acceptance dates (247 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 2.7 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 25%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 48 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 194 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 14 daysPublisher 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
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
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)
Article types accepted3
- regular papersIn addition to regular papers, there are topical and tutorial reviews.Length not stated
- topical reviewsTopical reviews are aimed primarily at the specialist already working on the topic covered or in a closely related area.Length not stated
- tutorial reviewsTutorial reviews emphasize the basics and are aimed at a structured introduction to a topic assuming little previous background knowledge.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Hybrid open access journal (Open Select). Model summary
Journal of Modern Optics is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the discoverability an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees after initial editor appraisal. Model summary
All manuscript submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees.
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
- Taylor and Francis Ltd.
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0950-0340
- Electronic ISSN
- 1362-3044
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 73, Issue 16 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Modern Optics
What CAS zone is Journal of Modern Optics in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Modern Optics is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Optics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Modern Optics?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 0.85; CiteScore 2, h-index 137.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Modern Optics?
Based on the dates recorded on 104 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 210 days (interquartile range 134–281 days); authors report an average review time of about 2.7 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 25%. 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Modern Optics based?
Of the 7 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 29%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (3), Mainland China (2) and United Kingdom (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Modern Optics?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Modern Optics is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC, MathSciNet, zbMATH and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Modern Optics open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Modern Optics is a subscription journal. APC charged, amount not published.
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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .