At the full LHC design luminosity of 1034cm−2s−1, there will be approximately 109 proton–proton interactions per second. The ATLAS level-1 trigger is required to have an acceptance factor of ∼10−3. The calorimeter trigger covers the region |η|⩽5.0, and φ=0 to 2π. The distribution of transverse energy over the trigger phase space is analysed to identify candidates for electrons/photons, isolated hadrons, QCD jets and non-interacting particles. The Cluster Processor of the level-1 calorimeter trigger is designed to identify transverse energy clusters associated with the first two of these. The algorithms based on the trigger tower energies which have been designed to identify such clusters, are described here. The algorithms are evaluated using an FPGA. The reasons for the choice of the actual FPGA being used are given. The performance of the FPGA has been fully simulated, and the expected latency has been shown to be within the limits of the time allocated to the cluster trigger. These results, together with the results of measurements made with real data into a fully configured FPGA, are presented and discussed.

The final Pre-Precessor Multi-Chip Module (PPrMCM) of the ATLAS Level-1 Calorimeter Trigger is presented. It consists of a four-layer substrate with plasma-etched vias carrying nine dies from different manufacturers. The task of the system is to receive and digitize analog input signals from individual trigger towers, to perform complex digital signal processing in terms of time and amplitude and to produce two independent output data streams. A real-time stream feeds the subsequent trigger processors for recognizing trigger objects, and the other provides deadtime-free readout of the Pre-Processor information for the events accepted by the entire ATLAS trigger system. The PPrMCM development has recently been finalized after including substantial experience gained with a demonstrator MCM.

The level-1 calorimeter trigger consists of three subsystems, namely the Preprocessor, electron/photon and tau/hadron Cluster Processor (CP), and Jet/Energy-sum Processor (JEP). The CP and JEP will receive digitised calorimeter trigger-tower data from the Preprocessor and will provide trigger multiplicity information to the Central Trigger Processor and region-of-interest (RoI) information for the level-2 trigger. It will also provide intermediate results to the data acquisition (DAQ) system for monitoring and diagnostic purposes. This paper will outline a readout system based on FPGA technology, providing a common solution for both DAQ readout and RoI readout for the CP and the JEP. Results of building a prototype readout driver (ROD) module will be presented, together with results of tests on its integration with level-2 and DAQ modules.

The architecture of the ATLAS Level-1 Calorimeter Trigger has been improved and simplified by using a common module to perform different functions that originally required three separate modules. The key is the use of FPGAs with multiple configurations, and the adoption by different subsystems of a common high-density custom crate backplane that takes care to make data paths equal widths and includes minimal VMEbus. One module design can now be configured to count electron/photon and tau/hadron clusters, or count jets, or form missing and total transverse-energy sums and compare them to thresholds. In addition, operations are carried out at both crate and system levels by the same module design.