MINI REVIEW article
Front. Sens.
Sec. Sensor Devices
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fsens.2025.1607356
This article is part of the Research TopicParticle and radiation sensors developed at INFN-CSN5View all 6 articles
Polysiloxane-based scintillators as radiation sensors: state of art and future perspectives
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- 2Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Padova, Legnaro, Italy
- 3National Institute of Nuclear Physics of Padova, Padova, Italy
- 4Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy
- 5Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, University of Trento, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy
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Polysiloxane scintillators are emerging as promising radiation sensors due to their high radiation resistance, mechanical flexibility, chemical inertness, and thermal stability compared to traditional plastics. This mini-review traces the evolution of these materials, from early formulations to current high-performance scintillators. Their capabilities for particle discrimination, thermal neutron detection, and real-time dose monitoring in proton radiation therapy are highlighted. The chemical versatility of polysiloxanes allows optimizing energy transfer and light yield, outperforming commercial plastics. Recent developments have led to photocurable, 3D-printable polysiloxane scintillators, opening new avenues. Despite remarkable progress, ample room remains for innovations by leveraging the chemistry of siloxane precursors. The unobtrusive entrance of polysiloxanes into the landscape of radiation detectors represents an opportunity to further expand the applications of polymer-based scintillators.
Keywords: scintillators, Polymers, Silicones, particles discrimination, thermal neutrons detection, Flexible sensors
Received: 07 Apr 2025; Accepted: 25 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Maria Carturan, Moretto and Quaranta. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sara Maria Carturan, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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