CMS-CASTOR forward detector and 2007 test beam data analysis

CASTOR is a Cherenkov sampling calorimeter, to be installed as a sub-detector of the CMS Experiment at the LHC. It will be positioned in the very forward region, 14.38 m away from the interaction point and covering the pseudo rapidity range . In order to test the final design of the CASTOR calorimeter, a beam test in 2007 was carried out in the CERN/SPS H2 beam line for prototype III which consisted of successive layers of tungsten and quartz plates. The calorimeter prototype was exposed to various energies of muons, pions and electrons during the tests. In this thesis, after an overview of calorimetry, the physics and the final design of the CASTOR, we present the results of the electromagnetic response linearity and resolution of the calorimeter prototype, as well as leakage and beam contamination studies.