Real-time tracking system based on artificial retina algorithm : Testbeam results and future developments for application at HL-LHC

We present the testbeam results of a real-time tracking system based on artificial retina, a highly parallelized algorithm for particle pattern recognition and track reconstruction. The system is a practical demonstrator designed in the context of the INFN-RETINA project, whose aim is to develop a fast track finding system capable to operate at 40 MHz event rate with several tracks per event in the high-luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) experiments. The prototype has been tested using a 180 GeV/c proton beam at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS), reconstructing tracks in real time with sub-microsecond latencies and with track parameter resolutions comparable with the offline results. The next target is the implementation of the artificial retina for a 4D tracking system including the time information of the hits, that is particularly important to better associate the tracks to the correct proton-proton production vertex in case of high pile up as in the HL-LHC experiments.