Multipurpose detectors for high energy physics, an introduction

Multipurpose detectors are used widely in high energy physics experiments. They work on the same set of fundamental operating principles although specialized in their design goals and detection features. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has four major experiments exploiting these techniques, and in the future the International Linear Collider (ILC) will employ the detectors that are being designed presently and will utilize the particle-flow algorithms in order to obtain the desired dijet mass resolution. A complete understanding of the above mentioned detectors, their designs and the particle detection mechanisms can enable the prediction of the most desirable attributes of an ideal particle-detector design. In this introductory paper, we highlight the techniques used for radiation detection particularly at LHC, and the articles that follow in this volume.