Vacuum is an international rapid publications journal with a focus on short communication. All papers are peer-reviewed, with the review process for short communication geared towards very fast turnaround times. The journal also published full research papers, thematic issues and selected papers from leading conferences.

A report in Vacuum should represent a major advance in an area that involves a controlled environment at pressures of one atmosphere or below.

The scope of the journal includes:

1. Vacuum; original developments in vacuum pumping and instrumentation, vacuum measurement, vacuum gas dynamics, gas-surface interactions, surface treatment for UHV applications and low outgassing, vacuum melting, sintering, and vacuum metrology. Technology and solutions for large-scale facilities (e.g., particle accelerators and fusion devices). New instrumentation ( e.g., detectors and electron microscopes).

2. Plasma science; advances in PVD, CVD, plasma-assisted CVD, ion sources, deposition processes and analysis.

3. Surface science; surface engineering, surface chemistry, surface analysis, crystal growth, ion-surface interactions and etching, nanometer-scale processing, surface modification.

4. Materials science; novel functional or structural materials. Metals, ceramics, and polymers. Experiments, simulations, and modelling for understanding structure-property relationships. Thin films and coatings. Nanostructures and ion implantation.

《Vacuum》是一本由PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD出版商出版的专业工程技术期刊，该刊创刊于1951年，刊期Monthly，该刊已被国际权威数据库SCI、SCIE收录。在中科院最新升级版分区表中，该刊分区信息为大类学科：材料科学 2区，小类学科：物理：应用 2区；材料科学：综合 3区；在JCR（Journal Citation Reports）分区等级为Q2。该刊发文范围涵盖材料科学：综合等领域，旨在及时、准确、全面地报道国内外材料科学：综合工作者在该领域取得的最新研究成果、工作进展及学术动态、技术革新等，促进学术交流，鼓励学术创新。2021年影响因子为4.11，平均审稿速度约4.1个月。