# How to lower beta to top aligned with other subscripts?

In the below the top of the beta is significantly higher the top of alpha, how could I make the top alignment equal for the two?

\documentclass{article} \begin{document} $a_{\alpha\beta}$ \end{document}


$a_{\alpha\beta}$

• Sorry to say it, but I'm sure you don't want to do that. It's like saying you wanted to align the top of latin letters, which you don't want: i.stack.imgur.com/sQEQ3.png
– yo'
Oct 29, 2015 at 13:18
• But that's what I want Oct 29, 2015 at 13:19
• I want to use them as two connected indices, and care more about them being distinct "sub"scripts than about the text line looking even Oct 29, 2015 at 13:20

You do not want to do that. And (as a copy editor and typesetter) I hope I won't ever get to process your paper.

It really looks more like that \beta is a subscript of \alpha, which is of course wrong.

\documentclass[margin=5pt]{standalone}

\usepackage{amsmath}

\makeatletter
\newcommand\lowbeta{{\text{\raise-0.55ex\hbox{$\mkern-1mu\m@th\beta$}}}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

$x_{\alpha\lowbeta}$

\end{document}


You can also try simply to lower the whole subscript:

$x^{}_{\alpha\beta}$

• Thanks, I didn't think about beta looking like a subscript of alpha; a good point, I'll consider not doing it anyway. Oct 29, 2015 at 13:46
• @Asagen My recommendation is $x^{}_{\alpha\beta}$, so the subscript is moved a bit down. Oct 29, 2015 at 14:06