I need to use the STIX math italic (second row) and math bold italic (third row) in the same text. I found that the distinction for all small greek letters except lambda is visible enough. The shape of lambda seems to be inconsistent (too thin). Since I have both typefaces in the same text, the two lambdas can hardly be distinguished. What could be the solution in this case?

Description of the figure.

• It is generated with Adobe Illustrator. To the best of my knowledge, the stix package provides the first row (upright text) for the text mode and 2nd and 3rd rows for the math mode.
• Rows 4 and 5 illustrate proper visual differences between a) the upright font (1) and the serif-less upright font (4) and b) the italic font (2) and the serif-less slanted font.
• Row 3 illustrates the problematic bold italic font. To the right, I superimposed the bold italic over the italic font to demonstrate the tiny difference for lambda.

Currently, I am defining the serif-less bold italic small greek math letters

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{stix} \usepackage{bm} \DeclareMathSymbol{\alphaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"0B} \DeclareMathSymbol{\lambdaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"15} \newcommand{\lambdaBold}{{\bm{\lambdaSF}}} \newcommand{\alphaBold}{{\bm \alphaSF}} \begin{document} \begin{align*} \alpha&=\lambda\\ \bm{\alpha}&=\bm{\lambda}\\ \alphaBold&=\lambdaBold \end{align*} \end{document} 

and using them instead of bold italic, but serif-less fonts stand out too much.

1. Important boundary conditions

1. pdflatex should be used. No xelatex please.
2. The font should not be completely different from Computer Modern, Times New Roman, Stix.
3. Stix2 is a completely differently looking font.

Why?

• Because manuscripts upon submission to Physical Review journals are compiled by pdflatex.
• Because many people never heard of xelatex

2. Actual question

I need to use the STIX math italic (second row) and math bold italic (third row) in the same text. I found that the distinction for all small greek letters except lambda is visible enough. The shape of lambda seems to be inconsistent (too thin). Since I have both typefaces in the same text, the two lambdas can hardly be distinguished. What could be the solution in this case?

3. Description of the figure.

• It is generated with Adobe Illustrator. To the best of my knowledge, the stix package provides the first row (upright text) for the text mode and 2nd and 3rd rows for the math mode.
• Rows 4 and 5 illustrate proper visual differences between a) the upright font (1) and the serif-less upright font (4) and b) the italic font (2) and the serif-less slanted font.
• Row 3 illustrates the problematic bold italic font. To the right, I superimposed the bold italic over the italic font to demonstrate the tiny difference for lambda.

4. Copy-pastable latex code

Currently, I am defining the serif-less bold italic small greek math letters

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{stix} \usepackage{bm} \DeclareMathSymbol{\alphaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"0B} \DeclareMathSymbol{\lambdaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"15} \newcommand{\lambdaBold}{{\bm{\lambdaSF}}} \newcommand{\alphaBold}{{\bm \alphaSF}} \begin{document} \begin{align*} \alpha&=\lambda\\ \bm{\alpha}&=\bm{\lambda}\\ \alphaBold&=\lambdaBold \end{align*} \end{document} 

and using them instead of bold italic, but serif-less fonts stand out too much.

I need to use the STIX math italic (second row) and math bold italic (third row) in the same text. I found that the distinction for all small greek letters except lambda is visible enough. The shape of lambda seems to be inconsistent (too thin). Since I have both typefaces in the same text, the two lambdas can hardly be distinguished. What could be the solution in this case?

Currently, I am defining the serif-less bold italic small greek math letters

\DeclareMathSymbol{\alphaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"0B} \DeclareMathSymbol{\lambdaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"15} \newcommand{\lambdaBold}{{\bm{\lambdaSF}}} \newcommand{\alphaBold}{{\bm \alphaSF}} 

and using them instead of bold italic, but serif-less fonts stand out too much.

I need to use the STIX math italic (second row) and math bold italic (third row) in the same text. I found that the distinction for all small greek letters except lambda is visible enough. The shape of lambda seems to be inconsistent (too thin). Since I have both typefaces in the same text, the two lambdas can hardly be distinguished. What could be the solution in this case?

Description of the figure.

• It is generated with Adobe Illustrator. To the best of my knowledge, the stix package provides the first row (upright text) for the text mode and 2nd and 3rd rows for the math mode.
• Rows 4 and 5 illustrate proper visual differences between a) the upright font (1) and the serif-less upright font (4) and b) the italic font (2) and the serif-less slanted font.
• Row 3 illustrates the problematic bold italic font. To the right, I superimposed the bold italic over the italic font to demonstrate the tiny difference for lambda.

Currently, I am defining the serif-less bold italic small greek math letters

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{stix} \usepackage{bm} \DeclareMathSymbol{\alphaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"0B} \DeclareMathSymbol{\lambdaSF}{\mathalpha}{arrows2}{"15} \newcommand{\lambdaBold}{{\bm{\lambdaSF}}} \newcommand{\alphaBold}{{\bm \alphaSF}} \begin{document} \begin{align*} \alpha&=\lambda\\  \bm{\alpha}&=\bm{\lambda}\\ \alphaBold&=\lambdaBold \end{align*} \end{document} 

and using them instead of bold italic, but serif-less fonts stand out too much.