Submissions

Articles

This section contains KVANT’s core articles: in-depth scientific communication written by experienced researchers, associate professors, and professors. Physics is presented at a level where the subject matter is treated with precision, insight, and overview—without the requirement of novelty that characterises research articles. The articles should provide readers with a clear understanding of current Danish research projects or projects carried out by Danish researchers.

The language of the articles is Danish, as we define and safeguard Danish scientific terminology in physics. We encourage our international colleagues to make use of an AI-based translation tool and a trusted colleague.

The aim is to share and preserve scientific knowledge in a form that is accessible, coherent, and inspiring for the entire scientific community: university students, educators, high school teachers, alumni, and active researchers. A strong article in this section explains and contextualises its subject—it goes a step deeper than popular science while maintaining KVANT’s clear communicative tone. The goal is the dissemination of scientific knowledge at a level where depth is preserved without becoming implicit or insular.

The target audience typically has a level corresponding to at least a bachelor’s degree in physics or an equivalent scientific background, and the author may therefore use technical terminology and notation without lengthy introductory explanations.

Illustrations, figures, and graphs are highly welcome and often essential for clear communication of physics. They are expected to be clear, relevant, and accompanied by explanatory captions that help the reader understand their role in the presentation. Equations and mathematical notation are welcome when they help elucidate key relationships. Derivations are likewise encouraged when they support understanding or highlight the physical structure of a problem; however, they should be well motivated and described in clear language so that the reader can follow them without losing the overall perspective.

An article in this section typically spans three to six pages and often includes several illustrations that enhance understanding. A moderate number of references is expected—usually five to ten—to guide the interested reader further without turning the article into a research review. The format is indicative and may be adjusted when this strengthens the communication.

All articles undergo an editorially supported assessment of quality and communicative clarity. The editorial team evaluates scientific correctness, clarity, structure, and coherence, as well as whether figures, equations, derivations, and graphical elements effectively support the explanations in the text. The aim is to ensure high quality while preserving the author’s voice and scientific integrity.

Op-Ed

This section offers senior researchers the opportunity to unfold a field within the public conversation. The Op-Ed should provide overview, perspective, and conceptual clarification in a format designed to be read and used by journalists and societal commentators within a Danish context when new technologies, research directions, and paradigms are discussed. 

The content must be factual, concise, and engaging, and written with a clear communicative purpose. Opinions and viewpoints are the sole responsibility of the author. Articles in this section are not peer reviewed, but are edited and quality assured by the KVANT editorial team. Illustrations, graphs, and relevant quotations are welcome when they enhance readability.

An Op-Ed should not exceed three pages.

Ph.d. - Articles

PhD articles in KVANT are scholarly communication articles written by PhD students who are actively engaged in research within the natural sciences and engineering disciplines where physics constitutes the core foundation. The PhD project must either be anchored at a Danish research institution, conducted within a company in Denmark, funded by a Danish foundation, or carried out by a Danish PhD student affiliated with a project abroad.

The purpose of this section is to provide early-career researchers with a platform where they can learn to communicate complex concepts clearly, precisely, and to a broad physics audience—without compromising scientific rigour. At the same time, the section gives PhD students experience with a professional, editorially supported review process that trains scientific communication in a constructive and realistic format.

The articles should provide insight into current research areas emerging from Danish PhD projects in a way that can inspire alumni and readers with an interest in physics. The article should not be a traditional research paper, but rather a concept-driven and insight-oriented presentation of the field or physical problem investigated in the PhD project. You may assume that your target audience has at least a bachelor’s degree in physics or an equivalent background, and you may freely use technical terms such as adiabatic phase transition, Hilbert space, or eigenstate.

As a general rule, articles should be written in Danish, as the PhD section of KVANT actively supports the development and use of Danish scientific terminology in physics. Articles written in English may be accepted when the research context or authorship makes this necessary, but this is considered an exception.

PhD articles in KVANT are typically relatively short and tightly focused, with a length of approximately 1–2 pages. The article may include 2–3 figures or images that visually support the reader’s understanding of the core problem, and 3–4 key references are expected to allow the reader to explore the topic in greater depth. We strongly encourage supervisors to be involved in the preparation of the article—both to ensure scientific depth and to provide the PhD student with meaningful training in the dialogue between research and communication.

The author presentation should be brief and personal. It must include a QR link to LinkedIn or another contact profile, allowing readers to contact the author at a later stage. The inclusion of a QR link is interpreted as the author’s explicit consent to this.

As a general guideline, the article should be structured narratively around three central questions:

• What was the project about?

• Why is it relevant or useful for the physics community or for society?

• How did you approach the problem in practice?

These three elements ensure that the article does not merely describe results, but demonstrates the physical idea underlying the project—and the competencies actually developed during the PhD process. This enables the reader to understand what the author can do and has learned, not just what the project was about. This narrative form also provides prospective employers with a professional and concrete presentation of the author and their way of working as a researcher—even in contexts where hiring committees do not consist of physicists.

PhD articles are not assessed through in-depth technical peer review, but rather through a light review process focusing on linguistic clarity, comprehensibility, and the level of scientific communication.

The format is indicative, but has been approved by the PhD chairs at IFA, NBI, SDU Physics, DTU Physics, and DTU Compute.

Physics in Practice

Physics in Practice presents articles written by physicists, engineers, and other natural science practitioners who work with physics outside the university setting. The articles demonstrate how physical principles, measurement methods, models, and technologies are applied in the “real world”—in industry, the energy sector, health sciences, technology development, consultancy, data analysis, educational environments, and many other fields.
The purpose is to give readers insight into how physics is transformed into solutions, innovation, and applications of societal relevance.

As a general rule, articles should be written in Danish, as the Physics in Practice section actively supports the development and use of Danish scientific terminology in physics. Articles written in English may be accepted when the context or authorship makes this necessary, but this is considered an exception.

Articles in the Physics in Practice section should generally be relatively short and tightly focused, with a length of approximately 1–2 pages. The article may include 2–3 figures or images that visually help the reader understand the core of the task or problem.
The content must be factual, concise, and inspiring, and written with a clear communicative purpose.

Articles in this section are not peer reviewed, but are edited and quality assured by the KVANT editorial team. Illustrations, graphs, equations, and relevant quotations are welcome when they enhance readability.

Thinking Physics

This section gives university instructors the opportunity to publish strong and challenging problems that would otherwise exist only within local teaching environments. At the same time, it serves as an informal intellectual space for alumni and a development arena for skilled, motivated high school students who wish to try their hand at “real university-level physics.”

A Thinking Physics contribution should not exceed one page and must be placed in the context of the teaching course or module from which it originates. Articles in this section are peer reviewed by colleagues at other universities. Illustrations, graphs, equations, and derivations are welcome when they enhance readability.

Thinking Physics problems are published without solutions in the current issue. Solutions, including didactic reflections, are published in the following issue of KVANT.

Physics News & Reviews

Current Topics in Physics presents short, timely and engaging insights from across the world of physics. The section highlights relevant news, events and scientific developments, illuminating key points from the full breadth of the field — both nationally and internationally.

The section includes:

• Press releases about new grants, projects and collaborations supported by Danish foundations

• Short scientific summaries and mini-reviews of new international articles, reports or technological breakthroughs

• Book reviews of scientific literature, popular science publications and textbooks

• News from KVANT’s publishing associations, including events, prizes, meetings and organisational updates

Content should be factual, concise and inspiring, written with a clear communication focus. Articles in this section are not peer-reviewed but are edited and quality-assured by the KVANT editorial team. Illustrations, figures and relevant quotations are welcome when they enhance readability.