The ATLAS level-1 central trigger system

The central part of the ATLAS level-1 trigger system consists of the central trigger processor (CTP), the local trigger processors (LTPs), the timing, trigger and control (TTC) system, and the read-out driver busy (ROD/spl I.bar/BUSY) modules. The CTP combines information from calorimeter and muon trigger processors, as well as from other sources and makes the final level-1 accept decision (L1A) on the basis of lists of selection criteria, implemented as a trigger menu. Timing and trigger signals are fanned out to about 40 LTPs which inject them into the sub-detector TTC partitions. The LTPs also support stand-alone running and can generate all necessary signals from memory. The TTC partitions fan out the timing and trigger signals to the sub-detector front-end electronics. The ROD-BUSY modules receive busy signals from the front-end electronics and send them to the CTP (via an LTP) to throttle the generation of L1As. An overview of the ATLAS level-1 central trigger system will be presented, with emphasis on the design and tests of the CTP modules.