 Scintillation (physics)

A brief flash of light produced when an energetic particle deposits energy in a material. Counting resolved flashes can count individual incident particles; this differs from atmospheric scintillation.

Scintillation in physics refers to the process by which certain materials emit flashes of light (or scintillation light) when they absorb ionizing radiation. This phenomenon is commonly observed in materials known as scintillators, which can be organic compounds, inorganic crystals, or even liquids. When a scintillator material is exposed to ionizing radiation (such as alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays), the incoming radiation interacts with the atoms of the scintillator, causing excitation and ionization.