A fast digital cluster finder and processor for high energy physics

A hardwired processor dedicated to trigger processing in a typical modern high-energy physics experiment is described. Within this constraint, an attempt is made to maintain maximum flexibility. Programmable logic and programmable gate arrays are used extensively, which allow improvements to be made without wiring changes. User-loadable lookup tables are used where possible to allow custom tweaking of the data processing. Examples from ZEUS and SDC are given to show how the basic architecture can be customized to these applications.<
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