Photonics Research Template
Draft for Photonics Research with confidence. The template sets the correct structure, abstract, and references up front, so your manuscript clears editorial screening.
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How to Use the Photonics Research Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to Photonics Research goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Photonics Research guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
What is the Photonics Research Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Photonics Research. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the Photonics Research journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a PR submission:
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the Photonics Research guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
What separates a clean submission from one that gets kicked back:
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the Photonics Research guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Photonics Research Template include?
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the submission system. When your draft is ready, upload it through Prism (Optica submission).
Steps to Use This Template with Scispace Agent
- Click Start Writing on this page. The Scispace Agent prompt screen opens with the template loaded.
- Use the loaded template, or upload a version your group already uses for PR.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Photonics Research guide for authors.
- Run the prompt. The agent drafts into the correct structure and reference style.
- Use View Outputs to verify required statements and formatting are present.
- Export and submit through Prism (Optica submission).
Photonics Research Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | PR requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured single paragraph abstract limited to approximately 100 words. The abstract should be an explicit summary of the paper that states the problem, the methods used, and the major findings, without specialized abbreviations or acronyms. Published articles often exceed this guideline (e.g., ~200+ words observed), suggesting the limit is approximate rather than strict. |
| Main text | Section order and length per article type |
| Declarations | Ethics, competing interests, funding, data as required |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Typically 6 OCIS (Optics Classification and Indexing Scheme) codes/subject classifications are provided. These serve as topical keywords for indexing and are selected from the OCIS taxonomy rather than author-supplied free-text keywords. |
| References | Numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first referenced in the body of the paper. Two references [2,3] are separated by a comma; three or more consecutive references use an en dash [1–4]. Always list the first three authors and use et al. if there are additional authors. Journal article format: T. Wang, Y. Ge, J. Chang, et al., "Wavelength-interrogation Fabry-Perot refractive index sensor based on a sealed in-fiber cavity," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 28, 3-6 (2016). |
| Peer review | Single-anonymous (single-blind) peer review. Reviewers know the authors' identities, but authors do not know the reviewers' identities. This is the standard peer review model used across Optica Publishing Group journals. |
| Submission | opg.optica.org |
Quick Tips for Using the Photonics Research Template
Read the Photonics Research guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to Photonics Research in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent PR papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the Photonics Research journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Before You Submit: Final Check
Do one focused pass against the Photonics Research guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Prism (Optica submission).
