1. A scintillation system for detecting incident penetrating radiation, comprising: a scintillator composition for converting the incident radiation to visible light comprises: a matrix material, wherein the matrix material has one or more types of chromophore dyes that self-assemble to form weakly bonded dimeric chromophores dissolved in the matrix material; wherein the matrix material contains dimeric chromophores at a concentration such that the dimeric chromophores have an average nearest neighbor distance in the range 5 to 12 Angstroms; wherein the one or more dimeric chromophores produce prompt excimer scintillation light with a decay time constant in the range 5 to 100 ns. wherein the one or more dimeric chromophores produce essentially prompt excimer scintillation light, where the essentially prompt excimer scintillation light is delayed excimer scintillation light with a delay in the range 0.3 to 3 ns relative to the prompt excimer scintillation light. wherein the intensity of the essentially prompt excimer scintillation light is dependent on a specific ionization density of ionizing radiation, wherein a pulse height of the essentially prompt excimer scintillation light is dependent on the specific ionization density of the ionizing radiation; wherein the matrix material produces delayed excimer scintillation light, at a later time in the range 20 to 200 ns, as a result of interaction between nearest neighbor dimeric chromophores; wherein the delayed excimer scintillation light changes a pulse shape of a combined light pulse, where the combined light pulse incorporates the prompt excimer scintillation light, the essentially prompt excimer scintillation light, and the delayed scintillation light, wherein the change in the pulse shape of the combined light pulse is dependent on the specific ionization density of the ionizing radiation; wherein the pulse height and pulse shape provide independent information on an ionization density of the ionizing radiation.