Fast two dimensional cluster finding in particle physics

The cluster finding module (CFM) is part of the UA1 trigger processor. The CFM detects and counts two-dimensional clusters of electromagnetic particles. This process requires 75 ns for detection of either isolated or nonisolated clusters and 75 ns to count them. This is equivalent to a peak computational rate of 11000 MIPS (million instructions per second) per module (3000 MIPS average). The required high logic density and speed are achieved by using programmable array logic devices within a pipelined system. The design has been strongly influenced by the need for in-situ computer testing.<>