Skip to main content

Physics and Astronomy

Information sources

Databases

Find articles relevant to your subject by searching databases.

Look at the guides to get the most from each database.

These databases are available for use by Leeds staff and students both on and off-site within the terms of the license agreements. Off-site users will need to login using their Leeds username and password.

Key databases

arXiv.org

With coverage starting from 1996 this preprint database is a fully automated electronic archive and distribution server for research papers. It allows open access to over a million eprints in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Quantitative Biology, Quantitative Finance and Statistics.

Guide to using arXiv.org

CAS SciFinder

Widely considered to be the best database for any chemical research, CAS SciFinder also includes the major medical database Medline. It includes journal references, patent information and chemical substance and reaction data. The full CAS Registry file, containing the chemical structures and dictionary information for the 24 million substances identified by the CAS Registry System, is also included. You must register for access.

Register for SciFinder

Guide to using CAS SciFinder

CAS SciFinder support pages

Dimensions

Dimensions is the world’s largest linked-research database, covering articles, grants, patents, clinical trials, datasets, policy documents and technical reports. It also provides research metrics. There is a free version open to all, or a subscription version.

You must register for an account with your Leeds email address to get full access, from a computer within the University’s IP range or through the virtual desktop. Once you are registered, you can access the database from off-campus. If you are a student, you can put “student” in the job title field.

Guide to using Dimensions

J-Stage

J-STAGE is an electronic journal platform for STEM information in Japan, developed and managed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). J-STAGE supports Japanese societies and research organisations, and has published more than 3,000 journals, conference proceedings and other academic publications.

MathSciNet

This database allows you to search for journal articles and conference proceedings in mathematics. It is the extended online equivalent of Mathematical Reviews and Current Mathematical Publications. It is updated daily and coverage starts from 1940.

Guide to using MathSciNet

NASA Astrophysics Data System

The NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) is a NASA-funded project which maintains three bibliographic databases containing more than 4.8 million records: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and ArXiv eprints. With coverage starting from 1975 the ADS consists of bibliographic records, which are searchable through Abstract Service query forms, and full text scans of much of the astronomical literature, which can be browsed through the interface. Integrated in its databases, the ADS links to external resources, including electronic articles, data catalogues and archives.

Scopus

Scopus is a large abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature from more than 18,500 journals and quality web sources, with smart tools to track, analyse and visualize research. Coverage starts from 1823.

Guide to using Scopus

SPIE Digital Library

This is the free search facility on the SPIE (The International Society for Optical Engineering - US) website, which allows you to search for SPIE papers, books and proceedings. We do not have a full text subscription, so you may need to search the Library Catalogue for any books or papers you require, to see if we have them in print.

Guide to using SPIE Digital Library

The Lens

The Lens aggregates and provides access to over 225 million scholarly works, patent records and patent sequences from across the world. Its goal is to enable more people to make better decisions, informed by evidence.

Web of Science

Search for journal articles using three databases; Science Citation Index, Social Science Citation Index and Arts and Humanities Citation Index. A current awareness service provides citation alerts for newly added journal articles. Each database is updated weekly.

Guide to using Web of Science