Physical Review B

Physical Review B. It is a premier peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Physical Society, focusing on the condensed matter physics and materials science communities. Established in 1970, it has become one of the most cited journals in its field, publishing research on the fundamental properties and phenomena of solids, liquids, and other condensed phases. The journal is a core part of the Physical Review family and is renowned for its rigorous standards and broad international authorship.

History and scope

The journal was launched in 1970 as a split from the original Physical Review to accommodate the rapidly growing field of condensed matter physics. This expansion mirrored similar divisions that created journals like Physical Review Letters and Physical Review A. Its scope encompasses the theoretical and experimental investigation of condensed matter systems, including electronic structure, superconductivity, magnetism, mesoscopic physics, nanostructures, and soft matter. Over the decades, it has chronicled pivotal advances from the exploration of high-temperature superconductivity to the rise of topological insulators and two-dimensional materials like graphene. The journal's purview also includes related areas such as surface science, disordered systems, and the application of techniques like density functional theory and neutron scattering.

Content and article types

The journal publishes a wide variety of article types, including regular research papers, rapid communications for timely results, and longer, in-depth review articles. Its content spans detailed reports on experimental findings from facilities like the Advanced Photon Source or the Spallation Neutron Source, as well as theoretical developments involving advanced computational methods. Common topics include studies of quantum Hall effect, spintronics, photonic crystals, phase transitions, and strongly correlated systems. It also features papers on emerging areas such as quantum materials, perovskite photovoltaics, and Majorana fermions. The journal frequently includes special issues and editorial collections focusing on landmark conferences or rapidly evolving subfields.

Editorial process and impact

Manuscripts undergo a rigorous single-blind peer review process managed by a team of professional editors and an editorial board of active scientists from institutions worldwide. The journal maintains high standards for acceptance, emphasizing scientific rigor, novelty, and broad interest to the condensed matter community. It is consistently ranked among the top journals in its category by metrics such as the Journal Citation Reports impact factor. The editorial office works closely with the broader American Physical Society publishing operations, ensuring integration with platforms like the arXiv preprint server. Its high citation volume and influence make it a key venue for researchers at major laboratories like Bell Labs, IBM Research, and Max Planck Institute.

Notable papers and discoveries

Many seminal works that later earned prestigious awards like the Nobel Prize in Physics were first published in its pages. Early influential papers include foundational work on the Kondo effect and Anderson localization. The journal was central to disseminating research during the explosive period of cuprate high-temperature superconductivity discovery in the late 1980s. More recently, it has published groundbreaking studies on topological insulators, a field recognized by the Nobel Prize awarded to David Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane, and J. Michael Kosterlitz. Other notable publications include key results on carbon nanotubes, quantum spin liquids, and the fractional quantum Hall effect.

Related journals and publishing

It is part of the extensive Physical Review portfolio, which includes specialized siblings like Physical Review Materials, Physical Review Applied, and Physical Review Research. These journals, all published by the American Physical Society, offer targeted venues for specific subdisciplines. The society also publishes broader-scope journals such as Reviews of Modern Physics and Physical Review Letters. All journals are available online through the APS Physics portal, with content often cross-linked and indexed in major databases like Web of Science and Scopus. The publishing model includes open access options under the APS's hybrid policy, aligning with initiatives like Plan S.

Category:American Physical Society academic journals Category:Condensed matter physics journals Category:English-language journals Category:Publications established in 1970