Crystal Scintillator as Radiation Detector
A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026
Special Issue Editors
2. INFN Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, I-00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: particle physics; astroparticle physics; high-energy physics
2. INFN Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, I-00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: particle physics; astroparticle physics; dark matter; neutrino physics; rare events; double beta decay; crystal scintillator; rare nuclear decay
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Crystal scintillators play a central role in radiation detection across a wide range of applications, from fundamental research in nuclear, particle, and astroparticle physics to medical imaging and environmental monitoring. Continuous advances in crystal growth techniques, material purification, and detector integration have significantly improved the performance of scintillators in terms of light yield, energy resolution, timing response, and radiopurity.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the development, characterization, and application of crystal scintillators as radiation detectors. Contributions are invited on both established and emerging scintillating materials, including alkali halides, tungstates, molybdates, perovskites, and novel compound crystals. Topics of interest include crystal growth and defect control, luminescence mechanisms, scintillation and optical properties, radiation hardness, and low-background material selection.
This Special Issue also welcomes studies on detector concepts and experimental techniques, such as coupling to photosensors, cryogenic operation, and hybrid scintillating–bolometric approaches. Applications ranging from rare-event searches and high-energy physics experiments to medical diagnostics and industrial inspection are particularly encouraged. This Special Issue underlines the multidisciplinary nature of scintillating crystal research, combining advances in materials science with detector physics to promote innovation in radiation detection technologies.
Dr. Riccardo Cerulli
Guest Editor
Dr. Alice Leoncini
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- crystal scintillator
- radiation detectors
- crystal growth and characterization
- scintillation properties
- low-background detectors
- particle and astroparticle physics
- medical and imaging application
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
