Journal profile · Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Molecular Physics
ISSN 0026-8976 · eISSN 1362-3028 · Taylor and Francis Ltd. · ENGLAND · Semimonthly · Founded 1958
Molecular Physics: CAS Zone 4 · Chemistry (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.66; hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 61 days to acceptance (93 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 234 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Molecular Physics is published by Taylor and Francis Ltd. and is in Zone 4 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 Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamics, together about 34.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Molecular Physics is a well-established international journal publishing original high quality papers in chemical physics and physical chemistry. The journal covers all experimental and theoretical aspects of molecular science, from electronic structure, molecular dynamics, spectroscopy and reaction kinetics to condensed matter, surface science, and statistical mechanics of simple and complex fluids. Contributions include full papers, preliminary communications, research notes and invited topical review articles. Routine work, for example, application of electronic structure calculations should yield new and interesting physical insights. Peer Review Policy All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor. If found suitable for further consideration, papers are subject to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized. Publishing Ethics The Journal adheres to the highest standards of publishing ethics, with rigorous processes in place to ensure this is achieved. Taylor & Francis is a member of Committee of Publications Ethics (COPE) and utilises CrossCheck for all Journals. More information on our ethical standards and policies can be found here: http://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/ethics-for-authors/ Who reads Molecular Physics? Research workers in university departments and research institutions in physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, spectroscopy, chemical physics, biophysics and applied mathematics.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 40%); most named Mainland China 2, United States 1, Switzerland 1, Norway 1 (5 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Advanced Chemical Physics StudiesPhysics and Astronomy17.1%
- Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical StudiesPhysics and Astronomy10.2%
- Phase Equilibria and ThermodynamicsEngineering7.2%
- Material Dynamics and PropertiesMaterials Science5.9%
- Spectroscopy and Laser ApplicationsChemistry5%
- Molecular Spectroscopy and StructureChemistry4.8%
- Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamicsPhysics and Astronomy4%
- Photochemistry and Electron Transfer StudiesChemistry4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Chemistry Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Chemistry Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Chemistry Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | 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, ProQuest, Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, Chimica ISI, The Polymer Library
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
- 1.66LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.8Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 3.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.3LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.3Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.49LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.49Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 99LetPub ·
- h-index
- 235OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 10,805OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.04OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 10.54%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 222LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 359,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 20,430 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 121 | 40 | 26 |
| 2025 | 234 | 66 | 353 |
| 2024 | 320 | 74 | 1,000 |
| 2023 | 327 | 107 | 1,712 |
| 2022 | 316 | 98 | 1,955 |
| 2021 | 317 | 114 | 2,294 |
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
61 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 41 days – 85 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 13 days (93 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 76 days
- Sample
- 93 articles with submission and acceptance dates (433 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 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 35%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 18 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 38 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
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)
Article types accepted4
- full papersContributions include full papers, preliminary communications, research notes and invited topical review articles.Length not stated
- invited topical review articlesContributions include full papers, preliminary communications, research notes and invited topical review articles.Length not stated
- preliminary communicationsContributions include full papers, preliminary communications, research notes and invited topical review articles.Length not stated
- research notesContributions include full papers, preliminary communications, research notes and invited topical review articles.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websitePublication ethics, Open access, Peer review
- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics: COPE member, CrossCheck utilised. Model summary
The Journal adheres to the highest standards of publishing ethics, with rigorous processes in place to ensure this is achieved. Taylor & Francis is a member of Committee of Publications Ethics (COPE) and utilises CrossCheck for all Journals.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Molecular Physics 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 and reade…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer Review Policy
Peer review policy: initial editor appraisal, then single anonymized peer review by independent referees. Model summary
All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor. If found suitable for further consideration, papers are subject to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized.
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
- 1958
- ISSN
- 0026-8976
- Electronic ISSN
- 1362-3028
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 124, Issue 13 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Molecular Physics
What CAS zone is Molecular Physics in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Molecular Physics is in Zone 4 of Chemistry, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Chemistry, Physical / Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Chemistry. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Molecular Physics?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.66; CiteScore 3.5, h-index 235.
How long does peer review take at Molecular Physics?
Based on the dates recorded on 93 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 61 days (interquartile range 41–85 days); authors report an average review time of about 2 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 35%. 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 Molecular Physics based?
Of the 5 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 40%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (2), United States (1) and Switzerland (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Molecular Physics?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Molecular Physics 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 Molecular Physics open access, and what is the APC?
Molecular Physics is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: 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: .