The CALICE tile hadron calorimeter prototype with SiPM read-out: Design, construction and first test beam results

The CALICE collaboration has constructed a test beam had ion calorimeter (HCAL) with 7608 scintillator tiles, individually read out by novel multi-pixel Geiger mode photo- diodes, so-called SiPMs, and tested it in electron and hadron beams at CERN. This prototype is the first device which uses SiPMs on a large scale; its purpose is to establish the technology and to record hadron shower data with unprecedented granularity for the validation of simulation models and the development of reconstruction algorithms. We present the design of the HCAL and its construction, with emphasis on the characterization of more than 10'000 SiPMs. We report on the operational experience in the test beam, such as noise and stability, discuss the calibration and give first results from the analysis of electron and hadron showers.