[en] Tests of a prototype for the electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) of the compact muon solenoid experiment (CMS) at the large hadron collider are described. The basic unit for the endcap ECAL in CMS is a 'supercrystal' of 25 lead tungstate crystals. Results are presented from tests of the first full-sized supercrystal in electron beams and in a 3 T magnetic field. The supercrystal was exposed to electron beams with energies from 25 to 180 GeV. An energy resolution (σ_E/E) of (0.48±0.01)% was measured at 180 GeV

[en] The performance of prototype vacuum phototriodes is presented from the first full sized supercrystal array for the CMS ECAL endcaps. The array was exposed to high-energy electrons and tested in magnetic fields of up to 3 T, in the CERN North area, in July and August 1999. The mean VPT electron yield, normalised to a naked crystal light yield of 8 photoelectrons/MeV into an HPMT, was found to be 25 electrons/MeV at 3 T for devices from Research Institute Electron, 35 electrons/MeV for devices from Hamamatsu and 18/23 electrons/MeV from Electron Tubes