Superscript Generator (x², 10⁻³, m³ and tiny raised letters)

Understanding the superscript generator — concept and principle

Superscripts let you write powers and units such as x², m³ or 10⁻⁶ in plain text. This generator raises characters with Unicode superscript forms, either everything you type or only what follows a caret (^), using the same notation as LaTeX.

How it is calculated

Unicode superscripts: ¹ ² ³ (U+00B9, U+00B2, U+00B3), ⁰ ⁴–⁹ (U+2070, U+2074–U+2079), signs ⁺ ⁻ ⁼ ⁽ ⁾ (U+207A–U+207E)

Letters: every small letter a–z has a modifier letter form; most capitals have a MODIFIER LETTER CAPITAL form, but not S, X, Y or Z

Caret mode: "^" is removed and the next signed number, single letter, bracketed group (kept) or braced group (braces removed) is raised

Characters without a superscript form are counted.

The principle

Superscripts mark exponents, units and footnotes. Unicode inherited ¹, ² and ³ from the older Latin-1 character set, which is why those three have different code points from the rest of the digits. Phonetic notation contributed many raised letters. The caret notation borrowed from LaTeX tells the generator exactly which part to raise, so ordinary text around it stays unchanged.

Worked example

Default inputs: "E = mc^2, 25 m^2, 10^-3 and x^{n+1}", caret mode.

1. mc^2 → mc² (1 character raised).
2. m^2 → m² (1).
3. 10^-3 → 10⁻³ (2: the minus sign and the 3).
4. x^{n+1} → xⁿ⁺¹ (3: n, + and 1; braces removed).
5. Result: E = mc², 25 m², 10⁻³ and xⁿ⁺¹; characters raised = 7; none without a form = 0; UTF-16 length = 29.

How to read the result

Use the result in posts, chats or file names where formatting is unavailable. Unicode superscripts may look slightly uneven, because ¹ ² ³ often come from a different design in a font than the other digits. For formal documents or complex formulas, use real formatting or an equation editor.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting braces for multi-character exponents, so only the first character is raised.
• Expecting superscript forms for decimal points or Greek letters.
• Expecting superscript S, X, Y or Z capitals; Unicode has none.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write x squared in plain text?

Type x^2 in caret mode to get x².

Why do ¹ ² ³ sometimes look different from ⁴?

They come from the Latin-1 block and may be designed differently in fonts.

How do I raise a whole expression?

Wrap it in braces: x^{n+1}.

Can I write negative exponents?

Yes: 10^-3 becomes 10⁻³.

Sources: The Unicode Standard 15.1, Latin-1 Supplement (U+00B2, U+00B3, U+00B9) and Superscripts and Subscripts block (U+2070–U+207F); Phonetic Extensions and Spacing Modifier Letters (modifier letters)