Journal profile · CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL-MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Silicon
ISSN 1876-990X · eISSN 1876-9918 · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · 18 issues per year · Founded 2009
Silicon: CAS Zone 3 · Materials Science (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.07; subscription journal; APC about USD 3,290; median 148 days to acceptance (112 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 367 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Silicon is published by Springer Netherlands and is in Zone 3 of Materials Science in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Semiconductor materials and devices, Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design and Nanowire Synthesis and Applications, together about 30.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Electrical and Electronic Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The journal Silicon is intended to serve all those involved in studying the role of silicon as an enabling element in materials science. There are no restrictions on disciplinary boundaries provided the focus is on silicon-based materials or adds significantly to the understanding of such materials. Accordingly, such contributions are welcome in the areas of inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, nanoscience, environmental science, electronics and optoelectronics, and modeling and theory. Relevant silicon-based materials include, but are not limited to, semiconductors, polymers, composites, ceramics, glasses, coatings, resins, composites, small molecules, and thin films.The Editor-in-Chief, associate editors and rigorous refereeing procedures will ensure that the journal maintains the highest levels of integrity, scientific standards and the broadest international coverage. Silicon accepts submissions from researchers in academia, industry, national research laboratories and research institutions.Silicon is a publication platform for novel knowledge and scientific dialogue in all disciplines where silicon is an enabling element. Silicon accepts novel submissions in the form of short communications, original articles, essays, and reviews. Submitted articles are complete reports of significant results or conclusions, which focus on some aspect of silicon being present. Communications are preliminary reports (1500-2000 words) of unusually urgent significance and of wider interest. Reviews are critically evaluated surveys of progress (3000-6000 words) and should contain new information on the subject.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL-MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Editor-in-chief Xuegong YuPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 7%); most named United States 10, Canada 4, Mainland China 2, United Kingdom 2, France 2 (29 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Semiconductor materials and devicesEngineering12.4%
- Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit DesignEngineering12.1%
- Nanowire Synthesis and ApplicationsEngineering6.2%
- Aluminum Alloys Composites PropertiesEngineering6%
- Silicon Effects in AgricultureAgricultural and Biological Sciences5.2%
- Silicon and Solar Cell TechnologiesEngineering5%
- Advanced ceramic materials synthesisMaterials Science4.9%
- Silicon Nanostructures and PhotoluminescenceMaterials Science4.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
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, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
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
- 4.07LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.52LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.05LetPub ·
- h-index
- 19LetPub ·
- h-index
- 85OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,196OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.81OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 3.68%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 360LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 312,300Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,801 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 219 | 19 | 172 |
| 2025 | 367 | 19 | 1,096 |
| 2024 | 375 | 19 | 3,352 |
| 2023 | 561 | 62 | 7,230 |
| 2022 | 773 | 59 | 10,119 |
| 2021 | 665 | 41 | 12,565 |
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
148 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 107 days – 265 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 14 days (112 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 173 days
- Sample
- 112 articles with submission and acceptance dates (651 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)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 32 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,290 / EUR 2,690 / GBP 2,390 | — | — |
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
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Plagiarism
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; LLM use must be documented in the Methods section or a suitable alternative part of the manuscript. Model summary
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
Manuscript submission implies the work is original, not published before, not under consideration elsewhere, and approved by all co-authors and responsible authorities. Model summary
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 Disclosures and declarations
Author Contribution and Competing Interest information must be provided at submission via the submission interface. Model summary
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement explaining how to access supporting data. Model summary
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 Compliance with Ethical Standards
The journal is a COPE member and follows COPE guidelines on misconduct. Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
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
Open Choice articles retain copyright with the author and are published under a Creative Commons license. Model summary
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Silicon, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Electronic multimedia and supplementary files are accepted for online publication with articles. Model summary
Springer accepts electronic multimedia files (animations, movies, audio, etc.) and other supplementary files to be published online along with an article or a book chapter.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism
Permission from copyright owners is required for previously published figures, tables, or text passages, with evidence included at submission. Model summary
Authors wishing to include figures, tables, or text passages that have already been published elsewhere are required to obtain permission from the copyright owner(s) for both the print and online format and to include evidence that such permission has been granted when submitting their papers.
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 Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- 18 issues per year
- Founded
- 2009
- ISSN
- 1876-990X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1876-9918
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 18, Issue 12 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Silicon
What CAS zone is Silicon in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Silicon is in Zone 3 of Materials Science, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Materials Science, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Materials Science. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Silicon?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.07; CiteScore 9.5, h-index 85.
How long does peer review take at Silicon?
Based on the dates recorded on 112 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 148 days (interquartile range 107–265 days); authors report an average review time of over 12 weeks; 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 Silicon?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. 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 Silicon based?
Of the 29 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 7%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (10), Canada (4) and Mainland China (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Silicon?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Silicon 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 Silicon open access, and what is the APC?
Silicon is a subscription journal. APC about USD 3,290.
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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .