Journal profile · Physics, Nuclear
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
ISSN 0741-3335 · eISSN 1361-6587 · IOP Publishing Ltd. · ENGLAND · Monthly
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion: CAS Zone 2 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.7; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,325; median 110 days to acceptance (106 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 417 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion is published by IOP Publishing Ltd. and is in Zone 2 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Magnetic confinement fusion research, Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics and Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics, together about 53.6% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion covers all aspects of the physics of hot, highly ionised plasmas. This includes results of current experimental and theoretical research on all aspects of the physics of high-temperature plasmas and of controlled nuclear fusion, including the basic phenomena in highly-ionised gases in the laboratory, in the ionosphere and in space, in magnetic-confinement and inertial-confinement fusion as well as related diagnostic methods. Papers with a technological emphasis, for example in such topics as plasma control, fusion technology and diagnostics, are welcomed when the plasma physics is an integral part of the paper or when the technology is unique to plasma applications or new to the field of plasma physics. Papers on dusty plasma physics are welcome when there is a clear relevance to fusion.
Source: LetPub
Research area (LetPub): Physics, Nuclear
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Magnetic confinement fusion researchPhysics and Astronomy27.6%
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamicsPhysics and Astronomy15.1%
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and DiagnosticsPhysics and Astronomy10.9%
- Fusion materials and technologiesMaterials Science7.7%
- Solar and Space Plasma DynamicsPhysics and Astronomy5.4%
- Particle accelerators and beam dynamicsEngineering5.2%
- Plasma Diagnostics and ApplicationsEngineering5%
- Superconducting Materials and ApplicationsEngineering4.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Physics, Fluids & Plasmas | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Physics, Fluids & Plasmas | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Physics, Fluids & Plasmas | Zone 2 |
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
- 2.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.8LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.99LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.08LetPub ·
- h-index
- 100LetPub ·
- h-index
- 145OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 5,093OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.12OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 25%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 66.18%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 429LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 9,952 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 398 | 354 | 81 |
| 2025 | 417 | 272 | 916 |
| 2024 | 276 | 210 | 1,311 |
| 2023 | 231 | 214 | 1,560 |
| 2022 | 246 | 150 | 2,312 |
| 2021 | 309 | 202 | 3,414 |
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
110 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 84 days – 150 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 14 days (106 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 127 days
- Sample
- 106 articles with submission and acceptance dates (876 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 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
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 3,325 / EUR 2,765 / GBP 2,410 | — | — |
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.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing Ltd.
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Monthly
- ISSN
- 0741-3335
- Electronic ISSN
- 1361-6587
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
What CAS zone is Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion is in Zone 2 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Physics, Fluids & Plasmas. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.7; CiteScore 3.8, h-index 145.
How long does peer review take at Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion?
Based on the dates recorded on 106 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 110 days (interquartile range 84–150 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly 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.
Which databases index Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion open access, and what is the APC?
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,325.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, 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: .