The n_TOF Total Absorption Calorimeter for neutron capture measurements at CERN

The n_TOF Collaboration has built and commissioned a high-performance detector for (n,γ)(n,γ) measurements called the Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC). The TAC was especially designed for measuring neutron capture cross-sections of low-mass and/or radioactive samples with the accuracy required for nuclear technology and stellar nucleosynthesis. We present a detailed description of the TAC and discuss its overall performance in terms of energy and time resolution, background discrimination, detection efficiency and neutron sensitivity.