Physical Review Letters Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

PRL has one of the shortest abstract limits of any major journal: 600 characters, not 600 words. This translates to roughly 75-100 words, depending on word length.

The abstract must be:

• A single paragraph
• Unstructured (no headings)
• No more than 600 characters including spaces
• Free of references, equations, and footnotes
• Self-contained (understandable without reading the paper)

In 600 characters, you need to state the problem, describe what you did, and report your main result with a number. There's no room for context or implications. Here's the level of compression required:

"We measure the branching fraction of B meson decays to tau lepton pairs using 362 fb-1 of electron-positron collision data. The measured value, (1.73 +/- 0.24) x 10-3, exceeds the standard model prediction by 2.8 sigma, suggesting possible new physics contributions."

That's approximately 300 characters. You have about twice this much space. Every character matters.

PRL titles should be concise, specific, and informative. There's no formal character limit, but long titles are discouraged. Common PRL conventions:

• Use specific quantities or results in the title when possible ("Observation of...", "Measurement of...", "Evidence for...")
• Avoid generic phrases like "A Study of..." or "Investigation into..."
• Don't use abbreviations unless universally understood in physics (QCD, QED, etc.)

Author information in PRL follows APS conventions:

• All author names listed
• Institutional affiliations with superscript numbers
• Corresponding author indicated
• Collaboration name listed if applicable (e.g., "The ATLAS Collaboration")

For large collaboration papers (common in particle physics and gravitational wave astronomy), PRL allows the collaboration name to appear as the author with individual names listed at the end or in an appendix. The CMS and ATLAS papers at PRL routinely have thousands of authors.

PRL doesn't impose a strict limit on the number of figures, but each figure reduces your available word count because figures take up page space. Most PRL papers include 3-4 figures.

Figure requirements:

• Minimum resolution: 300 DPI for photographs, 600 DPI for line art
• Accepted formats: EPS (preferred), PDF, PNG, or TIFF
• Single column width: 3.375 inches (8.6 cm)
• Double column width: 6.75 inches (17.1 cm)
• Font in figures: matching the text font (Computer Modern if using LaTeX), minimum 7-point
• Color figures are free in both online and print
• EPS is the preferred format for vector graphics and plots

Table requirements:

• Use LaTeX table environments (tabular) or Word table editor
• Every column must have a header
• Horizontal rules at top, bottom, and below headers (using \hline or \toprule/\midrule/\bottomrule with booktabs)
• No vertical rules
• Footnotes use superscript lowercase letters
• Units in column headers

Physics-specific figure conventions:

• Error bars must be clearly visible and explained in the caption
• Theoretical predictions overlaid on data should be distinguishable (different line styles, not just colors)
• Axes must be labeled with quantities and units
• Log scales should be indicated clearly
• Color choices should be colorblind-accessible when possible

PRL uses the APS reference style, which is handled automatically by REVTeX and BibTeX. References are cited using bracketed numbers.

Key formatting rules:

• Citations in text use bracketed numbers: [1], [2,3], [4-7]
• References numbered consecutively in order of appearance
• Author names: initials and surname (e.g., A. B. Smith)
• Journal titles abbreviated per APS conventions
• Include volume (bold), page number or article ID, and year in parentheses
• DOIs included as links

Example references:

[1] A. B. Smith, C. D. Jones, and E. F. Williams, Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 012345 (2025).

[2] A. B. Smith and C. D. Jones, Phys. Rev. D 111, 054001 (2025).

[3] A. B. Smith, Ph.D. thesis, MIT, 2024.

Note the APS formatting: journal title not italicized (unlike chemistry journals), volume in bold, article number without "p." prefix, year in parentheses at the end. APS journal abbreviations are specific: "Phys. Rev. Lett." (not "PRL"), "Phys. Rev. D" (not "PRD"), "Phys. Rev. A" etc.

The APS style guide provides the complete list of journal abbreviations. When using REVTeX with BibTeX, the revtex4-2.bst style file handles formatting automatically. If you're using Zotero or another reference manager, export to BibTeX and let REVTeX format the output.

PRL provides two mechanisms for supplementary content: Supplemental Material and EPAPS (Electronic Physics Auxiliary Publication Service).

Supplemental Material:

• Published alongside the article on the APS website
• Linked from the published paper
• Undergoes peer review
• Can include additional figures, derivations, data tables, and analysis details
• Referenced in the main text as "See Supplemental Material [URL]"
• Should contain material that supports but isn't essential to the main argument

EPAPS:

• Used for large datasets, code, and multimedia files
• Deposited separately through the EPAPS system
• Freely accessible via the APS website
• Appropriate for: raw data files, simulation code, video animations, large data tables

The distinction matters: Supplemental Material is for additional scientific content (derivations, control experiments, extended analysis). EPAPS is for data files and code that readers might want to download. Both are peer-reviewed, but they serve different purposes.

For a typical PRL paper, Supplemental Material might include:

• Detailed derivation of a key equation summarized in the main text
• Additional systematic checks or control measurements
• Extended data tables
• Monte Carlo simulation details

PRL strongly prefers LaTeX submissions using the REVTeX 4.2 class file. This isn't just a preference; it's effectively the standard. The vast majority of PRL submissions are in LaTeX.

LaTeX submissions (strongly recommended):

• Use the revtex4-2 document class
• Install via your TeX distribution (TeX Live, MiKTeX) or from CTAN
• Key document class options: \documentclass[prl,twocolumn]{revtex4-2}
• Use BibTeX with the apsrev4-2.bst style file for references
• REVTeX handles column layout, font sizes, equation numbering, and reference formatting
• Submit via APS's online system: upload .tex, .bib, .bst, and all figure files

Word submissions (accepted but uncommon):

• 12-point Times New Roman
• Double-spaced
• Use MathType or the Word equation editor for equations
• The APS production team will convert to LaTeX/XML during production
• Expect formatting changes during conversion, especially for equations

LaTeX is the right choice for PRL. Physics papers typically contain equations, Greek symbols, subscripts/superscripts, and specialized notation that Word handles poorly. REVTeX is specifically designed for APS journals and produces correctly formatted output with minimal manual intervention. If your paper has more than a couple of equations, LaTeX isn't just preferred; it's practically necessary.

If you're new to LaTeX, the time investment to learn it pays off immediately for PRL and other physics journals. REVTeX templates with example documents are available from the APS author resources page.

PRL has several unique conventions and requirements that authors from other fields or journals should know.

1. 600-character abstract, not 600-word. This is the single most surprising requirement for authors unfamiliar with PRL. It forces extreme conciseness. Plan your abstract carefully and count characters, not words.

2. Length is measured two ways. Your paper must satisfy both the 3,750-word limit AND the 4-page limit. Large figures or many display equations can push you over the page limit even when you're under the word limit. The submission system checks both.

3. No article types or categories. Every PRL paper is a Letter. There are no Original Articles, Communications, or Reviews. The format is the same regardless of subfield, from quantum computing to astrophysics.

4. Editors' Suggestions. Approximately 15% of published PRL papers receive an "Editors' Suggestion" designation, which means the editors consider the paper particularly noteworthy. This is determined after acceptance and isn't something authors apply for.

5. Physical Review companion papers. Many PRL authors publish a companion paper in one of the Physical Review journals (A, B, C, D, E, X) with the full details of their work. The PRL Letter presents the main result concisely, while the companion paper provides full methods, extended analysis, and detailed discussion. This is common and accepted practice.

Equations are a major component of most PRL papers. REVTeX handles them well, but there are specific conventions:

Display equations count toward your word limit (each equation adds an equivalent word count based on its typeset size). Minimize the number of displayed equations by putting intermediate steps in the Supplemental Material.

Use standard notation from your subfield. PRL covers all of physics, so notation conventions vary. Condensed matter papers use different conventions from particle physics papers. Follow the standards established in your area.

PRL uses the APS online submission system. Prepare these files:

1. LaTeX source (.tex file): using revtex4-2 class
2. Bibliography (.bib file): BibTeX format
3. Figures: each as a separate file (EPS preferred, PDF or PNG accepted)
4. Supplemental Material (if any): separate PDF compiled from LaTeX
5. EPAPS deposit (if any): data files, code, multimedia
6. Cover letter: stating significance and suggesting relevant PRL section (Condensed Matter, AMO, Nuclear, Particle, etc.)
7. Suggested referees: PRL typically asks for 3-4 names

The submission system compiles your LaTeX source and checks the word count and page count automatically. If either exceeds the limit, you'll need to shorten before the paper can proceed.

The most frequent issues with PRL submissions:

• Exceeding 3,750 words or 4 pages (the system catches this automatically)
• Abstract exceeding 600 characters
• Submitting in Word when LaTeX would be far more appropriate
• Not using the revtex4-2 class (using article class or another template)
• Figure resolution too low, especially for data plots
• References not using APS abbreviations (using NLM or CASSI instead)
• Including too many displayed equations that could go in Supplemental Material
• Supplemental Material that is essential to the main argument (it shouldn't be)

In our pre-submission review work on Physical Review Letters-targeted manuscripts, three patterns consistently predict formatting desk-screen failure at Physical Review Letters (PRL). The patterns below are the same ones Hugues Chate and outside reviewers flag at first-pass triage.

Scope-fit ambiguity in the abstract. Physical Review Letters editors move fastest on manuscripts whose contribution is obviously aligned with broad-impact physics advance communicable across physics subfields within 4 pages. The named failure pattern: manuscripts exceeding the 4-page limit get returned without review at desk-screen. Check whether your abstract reads to Physical Review Letters's scope

Methods package incomplete for the journal's reviewer pool. Physical Review Letters reviewers expect specific methodological detail. Papers framed for a single physics subfield rather than cross-physics audience extend divisional associate editor consultation. Check if your methods package is reviewer-complete

Reference-list and clean-citation failure mode. Editorial team at Physical Review Letters (PRL) screens reference lists for retracted-paper inclusion. Recent retractions in the Physical Review Letters corpus we audit include 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.038001, 10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.236601, and 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.146601. Citing any of these without a retraction-notice acknowledgment is an automatic desk-screen flag. Check whether your reference list is clean against Crossref + Retraction Watch

Manusights submission-corpus signal for Physical Review Letters (PRL). Of the manuscripts our team screened before submission to Physical Review Letters and peer venues in 2025, the editorial-culture mismatch most consistent across the cohort is prl divisional associate editors enforce length and broad-impact criteria during desk-screen; papers exceeding the 4-page limit get returned without review. In our analysis of anonymized Physical Review Letters-targeted submissions, Recent retractions in the Physical Review Letters corpus include 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.038001, 10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.236601, and 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.146601.

In our pre-submission review work with manuscripts targeting Physical Review Letters, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

Letter exceeds the 4-page limit as formatted in REVTeX two-column layout. PRL has a strict 4-page limit for the printed format, which corresponds to approximately 3,750 words of body text with a standard figure load. Manuscripts submitted as Word documents or in single-column LaTeX do not allow authors to verify their actual page count before submission. The REVTeX 4.2 two-column layout is the definitive check. Manuscripts that exceed 4 pages as formatted are returned for cutting, and cutting a paper from 5.5 pages to 4 pages often requires reconceiving the presentation, not just trimming sentences.

Significance claim does not reach the standard of "important physics result of broad interest to physics community." PRL explicitly states it publishes "important physics results of broad interest." Editors apply a strict significance filter: the result must be relevant to physicists outside the immediate sub-specialty, not just to specialists in the specific area. Manuscripts where the advance is incremental within a sub-field, or where the significance is clear only to specialists, are declined. Editors frequently note in declination letters that the work belongs in Physical Review B, C, D, or E rather than PRL.

REVTeX source not provided or compiles with errors. APS requires REVTeX 4.2 source files for all PRL submissions. Manuscripts submitted as PDFs without accompanying source, or with source that generates LaTeX errors, are returned for correction. A clean compilation is verified at the editorial office before the paper is processed. Authors should test compilation with a clean LaTeX installation using the APS REVTeX template before uploading.

Supplemental Material exceeds scope or is not self-contained. PRL allows supplemental material that is published online alongside the letter. A common error is using the supplemental to present results that should be in the letter itself, or uploading a supplemental that references the main text for context and cannot be read independently. Reviewers are not required to read supplemental material; critical results cannot live only there. If the supplemental is essential to evaluate the main claims, the manuscript is not properly scoped for letter format.

A Physical Review Letters formatting and readiness check evaluates manuscript structure, page limit compliance, and breadth of significance against these desk-rejection patterns before you submit.