Scintillating crystals are used for calorimetry in several high-energy
physics experiments. For many of them, performance has to be ensured in very
difficult operating conditions, like a high radiation environment and large
particle fluxes, which place constraints on response and readout time. An
overview is presented of the knowledge reached up to date, and of the newest
achievements in the field, with particular attention given to the performance
of Lead Tungstate crystals exposed to large particle fluxes.Comment: To be published in Proc. 9th ICATPP Conference on Astroparticle,
Particle, Space Physics, Detectors and Medical Physics Applications, Como,
Italy, October 17th to 21st, 200