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Subfield · Physics and Astronomy

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics is a subfield of Physics and Astronomy. Science Explorer counts 1.5M research works in it since 1950. 17.7% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

In short: branch of physics.

Research works
1.5M
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
270k
per year above
Top-10% rate
17.7%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Topics
37
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
-2%
the tick is no change

What is Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research about, and what is growing?

By the world's output in 2019–23, its most used keywords are Nonlinear Optics, Entanglement, Microresonators, Spintronics, Optical Frequency Combs, Ultrafast Lasers. Gaining share since 2009–13: Superconductors, Topological Insulators, Optical Manipulation, Orbital Angular Momentum, Entanglement. Losing share: Quantum Dots, Atomic Force Microscopy, Force Spectroscopy, Density Functional Theory.

▲ gaining share of this field◆ holding its share▼ losing share

Size is the world's fractional works in 2019–23 in the topics tagged with each word; colour compares the word's share of this field with 2009–13. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Nonlinear Optics27k◆ 1.11×3 topics
  2. Entanglement23k▲ 1.25×3 topics
  3. Microresonators20k◆ 1.15×2 topics
  4. Spintronics18k◆ 0.98×2 topics
  5. Optical Frequency Combs17k▲ 1.24×1 topic
  6. Ultrafast Lasers17k▲ 1.24×1 topic
  7. Molecular Dynamics16k◆ 0.92×2 topics
  8. Quantum Information16k◆ 1.09×2 topics
  9. Slow Light13k◆ 0.90×2 topics
  10. Photonic Crystals12k▼ 0.86×2 topics
  11. Superfluidity12k◆ 0.92×2 topics
  12. Optical Lattices11k◆ 1.13×2 topics
  13. Electron Spin11k◆ 0.96×1 topic
  14. Semiconductor Quantum Dots11k◆ 0.96×1 topic
  15. Density Functional Theory10k▼ 0.73×1 topic
  16. Dispersion Correction10k▼ 0.73×1 topic
  17. Photosynthesis9,649▼ 0.86×1 topic
  18. Quantum Coherence9,649▼ 0.86×1 topic
  19. Bose-Einstein Condensation9,644◆ 1.05×2 topics
  20. Nanomechanical Systems9,400◆ 1.02×1 topic
  21. Optomechanics9,400◆ 1.02×1 topic
  22. Superconductors8,876▲ 3.4×1 topic
  23. Topological Insulators8,876▲ 3.4×1 topic
  24. Bell Inequality8,700▲ 1.23×1 topic
  25. Decoherence8,700▲ 1.23×1 topic
  26. Semiconductor8,589▼ 0.78×2 topics
  27. Colloidal Crystals8,524▼ 0.85×1 topic
  28. Nanocavities8,524▼ 0.85×1 topic
  29. Magnetic Tunnel Junctions7,847◆ 1.00×1 topic
  30. Skyrmions7,847◆ 1.00×1 topic
  31. Atomic Magnetometer7,645◆ 1.13×1 topic
  32. Magnetic Resonance Imaging7,645◆ 1.13×1 topic
  33. Atomic Force Microscopy7,489▼ 0.72×1 topic
  34. Force Spectroscopy7,489▼ 0.72×1 topic
  35. Photonics7,477◆ 1.15×2 topics
  36. Quantum Simulation7,370◆ 0.96×1 topic
  37. Ultracold Gases7,370◆ 0.96×1 topic
  38. Optical Manipulation6,821▲ 1.80×1 topic
  39. Orbital Angular Momentum6,821▲ 1.80×1 topic
  40. Quantum Dots6,782▼ 0.66×1 topic

Which countries lead Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research?

On research quality in 2022–2025, China, the United States and Germany rank highest in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. By volume, China and the United States publish the most (41k and 23k works in 2022–2025).

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China · #3 all time 16.0% top 10% · 41k works
  2. 2 United States · #1 all time 18.5% top 10% · 23k works
  3. 3 Germany · #2 all time 18.9% top 10% · 9.2k works
  4. 4 Japan · #6 all time 12.0% top 10% · 7.9k works
  5. 5 United Kingdom · #4 all time 18.5% top 10% · 4.6k works
  6. 6 France · #5 all time 14.7% top 10% · 6.4k works
  7. 7 Italy · #7 all time 18.3% top 10% · 4k works
  8. 8 Switzerland · #8 all time 25.5% top 10% · 1.7k works
  9. 9 Spain · #11 all time 17.4% top 10% · 2.8k works
  10. 10 India · #19 all time 10.6% top 10% · 7.9k works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 59 countries ranked in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. Composite of field-normalised excellence (50%), output (30%) and citations (20%); the bracket is the all-time rank.

All countries ranked in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 41k works
  2. 2 United States 23k works
  3. 3 Germany 9.2k works
  4. 4 Russia 8.2k works
  5. 5 Japan 7.9k works
  6. 6 India 7.9k works
  7. 7 France 6.4k works
  8. 8 United Kingdom 4.6k works
  9. 9 Italy 4k works
  10. 10 South Korea 2.8k works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

China: 35.5%United States: 20.2%Germany: 8.0%Russia: 7.1%6 others listed: 29.2%35%largest
China41k · 35.5%United States23k · 20.2%Germany9,188 · 8.0%Russia8,216 · 7.1%6 others listed34k · 29.2%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States) ranks first in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics on research quality in 2022–2025, followed by Tsinghua University and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States · Cambridge · #1 all time 35.4% top 10% · 424 works
  2. 2 Tsinghua University China · Beijing · #51 all time 23.3% top 10% · 777 works
  3. 3 Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing · #45 all time 17.4% top 10% · 1.4k works
  4. 4 California Institute of Technology United States · Pasadena · #4 all time 30.1% top 10% · 332 works
  5. 5 University of Science and Technology of China China · Hefei · #69 all time 20.5% top 10% · 815 works
  6. 6 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing 18.3% top 10% · 1k works
  7. 7 ETH Zurich Switzerland · Zurich · #18 all time 28.8% top 10% · 471 works
  8. 8 Princeton University United States · Princeton · #8 all time 35.0% top 10% · 290 works
  9. 9 Harvard University United States · Cambridge · #5 all time 38.4% top 10% · 225 works
  10. 10 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique France · Paris · #11 all time 16.4% top 10% · 1k works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 565 institutions above the floor of 40 fractional works in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics.

Top 100 Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics institutions

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 1.4k works
  2. 2 University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 1k works
  3. 3 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 1k works
  4. 4 University of Science and Technology of ChinaChina 815 works
  5. 5 Tsinghua UniversityChina 777 works
  6. 6 The University of TokyoJapan 755 works
  7. 7 University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChina 736 works
  8. 8 Peking UniversityChina 648 works
  9. 9 Beihang UniversityChina 619 works
  10. 10 Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyChina 613 works

Who are the leading researchers in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics?

Among the most productive authors in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, John A. Pople, David Vanderbilt and Heng Fan rank highest on the composite score.

  1. 1 John A. Pople United States · #77 worldwide 11k citations · 142 works
  2. 2 David Vanderbilt United States · #102 worldwide 7.3k citations · 143 works
  3. 3 Heng Fan China · #132 worldwide 5.5k citations · 146 works
  4. 4 Philip W. Anderson United States · #141 worldwide 5.8k citations · 126 works
  5. 5 John P. Perdew United States · #161 worldwide 9.9k citations · 119 works
  6. 6 Michele Parrinello Switzerland · #191 worldwide 5.6k citations · 175 works
  7. 7 Donald G. Truhlar United States · #255 worldwide 8.4k citations · 315 works
  8. 8 James Tobin United States · #336 worldwide 3.1k citations · 172 works
  9. 9 Hans A. Bethe United States · #371 worldwide 3.1k citations · 120 works
  10. 10 Martin B. Plenio Germany · #415 worldwide 3.6k citations · 146 works

Re-ranked on the composite score from the 5,895 highest-output authors in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. Identities come from OpenAlex author disambiguation, which occasionally merges or splits people.

Top 100 Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics researchers

Where is Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research done?

The largest centres of Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Moscow (Russia), Shanghai (China) and Tokyo (Japan). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Taiyuan, Essendon and Saitama.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 9k works
  2. 2 Moscow Russia 3.2k works
  3. 3 Shanghai China 3k works
  4. 4 Tokyo Japan 2.5k works
  5. 5 Paris France 2.2k works
  6. 6 Nanjing China 2.2k works
  7. 7 Xi'an China 2k works
  8. 8 Hefei China 1.8k works
  9. 9 Wuhan China 1.8k works
  10. 10 Hangzhou China 1.6k works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. Taiyuan76.5 works42×
  2. EssendonAU · 59.4 works38×
  3. Saitama27.5 works33×
  4. AshtarakAM · 42.5 works32×
  5. Hamburg27.4 works32×
  6. Taipei27.1 works29×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics than the world average.

See Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics on the map

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research by country

The best places for Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research inside each country, with that country's researchers and world standing.

Where is the best place to study Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics?

Among universities, judged by research, Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Hefei University and Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%20%40%mean 29.45%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology: 116, 42.5%Hefei University: 261, 31.3%Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati: 95, 34.7%California Institute of Technology: 332, 30.1%Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University: 94, 17.6%Weizmann Institute of Science: 214, 28.7%Université Paris Sciences et Lettres: 83, 27.1%ETH Zurich: 471, 28.8%Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 424, 35.4%University of Chinese Academy of Sciences: 1,024, 18.3%Munich Center for Qu…Scuola Internazional…Hefei UniversityCalifornia Institute…
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1 Munich Center for Quantum Science and TechnologyGermany 71.342.5%56.5×116 —
2 Hefei UniversityChina 69.631.3%17.5×261 +169.5%
3 Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi AvanzatiItaly 63.934.7%15.4×95 +66.4%
4 California Institute of TechnologyUnited States 60.830.1%9.5×332 -10.6%
5 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityJapan 59.817.6%12.4×94 +238.6%
6 Weizmann Institute of ScienceIsrael 59.628.7%10.2×214 -10.1%
7 Université Paris Sciences et LettresFrance 55.627.1%5.9×83 +3496.6%
8 ETH ZurichSwitzerland 54.328.8%4.8×471 +20.4%
9 Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States 53.435.4%4.7×424 -17.1%
10 University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 53.218.3%4.2×1,024 +138.3%

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 2% lower than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2016. The fastest-growing topics are Topological Materials and Phenomena, Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics and Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

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

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.

  1. Topological Materials and Phenomena+593%
  2. Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics+108%
  3. Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies+27%
  4. Quantum Mechanics and Applications+24%
  5. Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research+21%
  6. Mechanical and Optical Resonators+21%
  7. Photorefractive and Nonlinear Optics-25%
  8. Advanced Chemical Physics Studies-26%
  9. Surface and Thin Film Phenomena-31%
  10. Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices-31%
← shrinkingno changegrowing →

Growth in output from 2005–09 to 2015–19. Every topic is a page of its own.

What does Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics include?

Advanced Chemical Physic…136kAdvanced Chemical Physics Studies: 136k fractional worksSpectroscopy and Quantum…97kSpectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies: 97k fractional worksSemiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices: 87k fractional worksAdvanced Fiber Laser Technologies: 84k fractional worksQuantum and electron transport phenomena: 77k fractional worksAtomic and Molecular Physics: 69k fractional worksMagnetic properties of thin films: 66k fractional worksForce Microscopy Techniques and Applications: 60k fractional worksCold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates: 59k fractional worksSemiconductor materials and interfaces: 58k fractional worksAtomic and Subatomic Physics Research: 57k fractional worksMechanical and Optical Resonators: 53k fractional works

Area is fractional works in that topic. Every name below is a page of its own.