This unique work first defines the fundamental physical processes underlying scintillation phenomena as a basis for controlling the primary scintillation characteristics of light output, decay time, emission spectrum, and radiation hardness. The book then illustrates the complicated mechanisms of energy conversion and transformation in inorganic scintillators. The author does not offer complicated derivations of equations but, instead, presents useful equations with practical results.

The section on the role of defects in energy transfer will be of special interest.