Calibration, performances and tests of the first detection unit of the KM3NeT neutrino telescope

International audienceKM3NeT is the next generation neutrino telescope being installed in the Mediterranean Sea. Thefirst detection unit of the telescope is ready for installation in the deep Mediterranean Sea inthe summer of 2015. Eighteen digital optical modules have been mounted on a vertical stringfor the detection of the Cherenkov light emitted by muons induced by up-going neutrinos. Thispaper reports on the integration and calibration of the optical modules and of the full detectionunit, as well as the future installation in the deep sea and the on-shore operation. The additionalinformation gained by the new type of photo-detection units when comparing to the old generationof optical modules is also discussed