The Time Projection Chamber for the ALICE experiment

The Time Projection Chamber is the main tracking detector in the central barrel of the ALICE experiment. The task of large acceptance tracking in a heavy ion experiment is similar to that encountered in the NA49 and STAR experiments at the SPS and RHIC respectively. However, the extreme multiplicities of ion collisions at the LHC set qualitatively and quantitatively new demands making new designs indispensable. In this paper we present an overview of the main components, with special focus on the front-end and readout electronics, and some of the most crucial aspects addressed by the R&D activities that have preceded the design and construction of the ALICE TPC.