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Research facility · Stellenbosch · South Africa

iThemba Laboratory

In research, iThemba Laboratory stands highest in Physical Sciences (#6,907 of 12,888 worldwide), 2022–2025. Relative to its size it is most specialised in Materials Science — Materials Science is 7.4× its share of world research.

tlabs.ac.zaROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022–2025
#11,427
of 28,054 · #8,026 all time
Rank in South Africa
#44
of 87
Research works
683
▼ 6% vs 2013–17
Citations
11k
15.8 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
13.5%
record average 16.5%
Open access
28%
world 28%

What is iThemba Laboratory known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022–2025, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
Physical SciencesDomain #6,907 of 12,888 13.0%65 #5224

Each strip is that field’s whole ranked pool, with the notch where iThemba Laboratory sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field (from about 6% to 21% in this record).

What does iThemba Laboratory specialise in?

Where its research is concentrated relative to its size: Materials Science takes 7.4× the share of its output that it takes of world research.

  1. Materials ScienceField · 20.6 works7.4×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient, a volume reading rather than an impact one. It surfaces small, lopsided specialities.

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 0.71× its world share, 3 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.51× its world share, 2 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.14× its world share, 0 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.11× its world share, 0 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.11× its world share, 0 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 0.94× its world share, 0 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 1.60× its world share, 2 worksChemistryComputer Science: 0.07× its world share, 0 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 1.38× its world share, 2 worksEarth and Planetary …Energy: 1.01× its world share, 1 worksEnergyEngineering: 1.35× its world share, 16 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 1.67× its world share, 7 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 7.41× its world share, 21 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 0.13× its world share, 0 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 9.35× its world share, 16 worksPhysics and AstronomyHealth Professions: 0.84× its world share, 2 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.26× its world share, 4 worksMedicineNursing: 0.17× its world share, 0 worksNursingVeterinary: 1.03× its world share, 0 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 0.05× its world share, 0 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 0.13× its world share, 0 worksBusiness, Management…Economics, Econometrics and Finance: 0.03× its world share, 0 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 0.33× its world share, 1 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 0.21× its world share, 2 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Physics and Astronomy, 9.3×. Every wedge is a field page.

Who are the top researchers at iThemba Laboratory?

Ranked on the composite score, D. T. L. Jones, S. M. Mullins and S. V. Förtsch lead among researchers whose main affiliation is iThemba Laboratory.

  1. 1 D. T. L. Jones · #116,680 worldwide 411 citations · 21 works
  2. 2 S. M. Mullins · #418,166 worldwide 248 citations · 59 works
  3. 3 S. V. Förtsch · #463,545 worldwide 93 citations · 20 works
  4. 4 A. A. Cowley · #626,688 worldwide 146 citations · 48 works
  5. 5 M. Peisach · #628,477 worldwide 61 citations · 31 works
  6. 6 R. A. Bark · #642,816 worldwide 160 citations · 50 works
  7. 7 G.F. Steyn · #662,247 worldwide 102 citations · 38 works
  8. 8 R. Neveling · #739,772 worldwide 65 citations · 24 works
  9. 9 C.A. Pineda · #811,371 worldwide 62 citations · 18 works
  10. 10 M. Wiedeking · #869,352 worldwide 127 citations · 79 works
All ranked researchers at iThemba Laboratory

Which keywords describe research at iThemba Laboratory?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Nanocomposites, Graphene, Nucleosynthesis, Raman Spectroscopy, Biomedical Applications, Crystal Growth, Thermal Properties and Tissue Engineering.

▲ more of its work than of the world’s◆ about the world’s share▼ less than the world’s

Size is fractional works in 2022–2025 in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this institution's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Nanocomposites8▲ 12×15 topics
  2. Graphene5▲ 9.2×6 topics
  3. Biomedical Applications5▲ 5.1×10 topics
  4. Nucleosynthesis4▲ 113×3 topics
  5. Raman Spectroscopy4▲ 28×3 topics
  6. Climate Change4▲ 2.0×28 topics
  7. Crystal Growth4▲ 17×5 topics
  8. Thermal Properties4▲ 36×3 topics
  9. Tissue Engineering4▲ 7.1×6 topics
  10. Nanomaterials3▲ 4.1×8 topics
  11. Carbon Nanotubes3▲ 12×6 topics
  12. Nanocrystals3▲ 15×5 topics
  13. Nuclear Forces3▲ 220×1 topic
  14. Nuclear Structure3▲ 220×1 topic
  15. Data Analysis3▲ 14×2 topics
  16. Environmental Impact3▲ 2.3×10 topics
  17. Neutron Imaging3▲ 109×1 topic
  18. Small-Angle Scattering3▲ 72×1 topic
  19. Tomography3▲ 22×2 topics
  20. Energy Storage3▲ 5.8×6 topics
  21. Efficiency3▲ 12×4 topics
  22. Toxicity3▲ 8.1×4 topics
  23. Two-Dimensional Materials3▲ 14×3 topics
  24. Transparent Conductors2▲ 24×2 topics
  25. Graphene Oxide2▲ 31×2 topics
  26. Nanofibers2▲ 13×2 topics
  27. Nanostructures2▲ 7.2×8 topics
  28. Oxidation Behavior2▲ 47×2 topics
  29. Photovoltaics2▲ 17×3 topics
  30. Semiconductors2▲ 8.9×4 topics
  31. Chemical Vapor Deposition2▲ 36×1 topic
  32. Electronic Properties2▲ 30×1 topic
  33. Microstructural Characterization2▲ 118×1 topic
  34. Nuclear Graphite2▲ 118×1 topic
  35. Radiation Detection2▲ 55×2 topics
  36. Conducting Polymers2▲ 17×1 topic
  37. Ionizing Radiation2▲ 34×3 topics
  38. Polyaniline2▲ 20×1 topic
  39. Polymer Composites2▲ 9.1×6 topics
  40. Dielectric Properties2▲ 22×3 topics

Which research topics does iThemba Laboratory publish most on?

By volume in 2022–2025: Nuclear physics research studies, Nuclear Physics and Applications, Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studies and Graphene research and applications.

Nuclear physics research studies: 3 fractional worksNuclear Physics and Applications: 3 fractional worksGraphite, nuclear techno…2Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studies: 2 fractional worksGraphene research and ap…2Graphene research and applications: 2 fractional worksConducting polymers and applications: 2 fractional worksRadioactivity and Radon Measurements: 2 fractional worksPerovskite Materials and…2Perovskite Materials and Applications: 2 fractional worksRadiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies: 2 fractional worksPolymer Nanocomposite Synthesis and Irradiation: 1 fractional worksSupercapacitor Materials…1Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication: 1 fractional works
Nuclear and High Energy PhysicsRadiationMaterials ChemistryPolymers and Plastics3 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 Nuclear physics research studiesNuclear and High Energy Physics 3 works
  2. 2 Nuclear Physics and ApplicationsRadiation 3 works
  3. 3 Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studiesMaterials Chemistry 2 works
  4. 4 Graphene research and applicationsMaterials Chemistry 2 works
  5. 5 Conducting polymers and applicationsPolymers and Plastics 2 works
  6. 6 Radioactivity and Radon MeasurementsRadiological and Ultrasound Technology 2 works
  7. 7 Perovskite Materials and ApplicationsElectrical and Electronic Engineering 2 works
  8. 8 Radiation Detection and Scintillator TechnologiesRadiation 2 works
  9. 9 Polymer Nanocomposite Synthesis and IrradiationPolymers and Plastics 1 works
  10. 10 Supercapacitor Materials and FabricationElectronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials 1 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world’s own shares — the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available28.5%not open71.5%

World: 28% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors41.6%domestic only58.4%

World: 19% is written across borders.

How has iThemba Laboratory's research output changed?

Output in 2018–2022 was 6% lower than in 2013–2017.

1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Other research institutions in Stellenbosch

All research institutions in Stellenbosch

Research measures only: rankings here say nothing about teaching, admissions or student experience. Comparable institutions and collaboration partners are in the interactive view on the map.