Level-0 trigger algorithms for the ALICE PHOS detector

The PHOS level-0 trigger provides a minimum bias trigger for p-p collisions and information for a level-1 trigger at both p-p and Pb-Pb collisions. There are two level-0 trigger generating algorithms under consideration: the Direct Comparison algorithm and the Weighted Sum algorithm. In order to study trigger algorithms via simulation, a simplified equivalent model is extracted from the trigger electronics to derive the waveform function of the Analog-or signal as input to the trigger algorithms. Simulations shown that the Weighted Sum algorithm can achieve higher trigger efficiency and provide more precise single channel energy information than the direct compare algorithm. An energy resolution of 9.75 MeV can be achieved with the Weighted Sum algorithm at a sampling rate of 40 Msps (mega samples per second) at 1 GeV. The timing performance at a sampling rate of 40 Msps with the Weighted Sum algorithm is better than that at a sampling rate of 20 Msps with both algorithms. The level-0 trigger can be delivered to ALICE CTP within 800 ns with a timing uncertainty of 2 LHC bunch crossing cycles. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.