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The Implementation of the ATLAS Level-1 Muon Trigger in the Barrel Region

R.Cardarelli, F.Ceradini, A.Nisati, E.Petrolo, R.Santonico and S.Veneziano

     Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita' di Roma and INFN, Roma, Italy

                                 N. Ellis

                        CERN, Geneva, SWITZERLAND

                             June 2, 1995
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                                     Abstract
    
    The level-1 muon trigger of ATLAS in the barrel region is based on fast, finely segmented detectors to identify penetrating charged particles, pointing to the interaction region. The trigger is designed to unambigously identify the interaction bunch-crossing and to provide a sharp threshold over a large interval of transverse momentum. For the muon trigger system in the central toroid, Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) are proposed for their good time resolution, easiness in the segmentation and low cost of production. The transverse momentum selection is done with a fast coincidence between strips of different planes. The number of trigger planes is defined by the need to minimize the rate of accidental coincidences and to optimize the efficiency. The different momentum selection criteria required by the physics processes are met using a low and a high Pt triggers. In the barrel we propose to use three trigger stations, two located close to the middle muon chambers and one located close to the external muon chambers. The middle stations are each made of two RPC planes and the external station is made of three RPC planes. The low Pt trigger requires a threefold majority coincidence of the four middle planes, while the high Pt trigger requires a twofold majority coincidence of the three external planes and the low Pt trigger. The trigger logic is done with a dedicated coincidence matrix circuit, based on an ASIC. The X-Y inputs to the coincidence matrix are given by the discriminated and shaped signals from the RPC of different planes. The transverse momentum threshold is defined by a road in the matrix and the trigger signal is generated when there is a valid coincidence within the road. The combination of trigger planes and the size of the road are fully programmable. In the final design of the trigger, three trigger threshold can be used simoultaneously in one coincidence matrix. A coincidence matrix demonstrator ASIC was developed and tested, within the RD27 CERN collaboration. The size of the matrix is 8x24 and the circuit can operate with two different thresholds. To implement the low and high Pt triggers we use two ASIC's. For the low Pt trigger the input to the ASIC are the four middle RPC planes and the logic is a 3/4 majority coincidence. For the high Pt trigger the inputs are the three external RPC planes and the combined output of the first matrix; the logic is a (2/3 majority coincidence)x (low Pt). To compensate for different propagation times of the signals from different detector planes, the delays of each group of X and Y inputs to the coincidence matrix can be adjusted inside the circuit with programmable micropipeline delays. The demonstrator prototype of the coincidence matrix ASIC, has been developed using a gate-array from FUJITSU in 0.5 micron CMOS technology. The trigger system is subdivided into 48 sectors and in order to minimize the cable lenght and trigger latency the coincidence matrices will be distributed along the apparatus on boards attached to the detector. The information from the coincidence matrices of each sector will be collected by a local Sector Muon Trigger, located in the center of the detector. The outputs of the sectors will be sent via optical links to the Central Muon Trigger that generates the global muon trigger information that is passed to the Level-1 Central Trigger Processor.
    SUBMITTER'S NAME: Emilio Petrolo
    SUBMITTER'S INSTITUTION: INFN Roma
    ADDRESS OF INSTITUTION: Piazzale A.Moro,2 - 00185 Roma - Italy
    SUBMITTER'S EMAIL ADDRESS: Petrolo@Roma1.INFN.IT
    SUBMITTER'S TEL+FAX: +39-6-49914242, fax +39-6-49914320
    TOPIC AREA: Level-1 muon trigger at LHC