Open heavy flavour analysis with the ALICE experiment at LHC

TL;DR

This paper discusses the methods and initial results of measuring open heavy flavour mesons, like D and B mesons, in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions using the ALICE detector at the LHC, to study quark-gluon plasma and test QCD predictions.

Contribution

It presents the reconstruction techniques and first measurements of open heavy flavour mesons in different decay channels at the LHC, providing new data for high-energy QCD and quark-gluon plasma studies.

Findings

First measurements of D mesons, electrons, and muons at 7 TeV.

Reconstruction methods for D and B mesons in various decay channels.

Initial results consistent with theoretical expectations.

Abstract

The ALICE experiment at the LHC was taking data in proton-proton collisions at the center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV starting from March till the end of October 2010. First heavy-ion collisions were delivered during November 2010. Among other particles, charmed and beauty mesons can be reconstructed by the ALICE apparatus. Open heavy flavour mesons provide a powerful tool to study hot quark matter produced in high energy heavy-ion collisions because their spectra are expected to be affected by energy loss in the medium. Measuring such particles is important also in proton-proton collisions. In this case they provide a necessary reference for heavy-ion collisions and allow to test pQCD predictions in a new energy domain. Different ways to reconstruct D and B mesons are described together with adopted selection and analysis techniques. D mesons in the central rapidity region are reconstructed via 2,3, and 4-prongs hadronic decays and via single electrons. In the forward region, semi-muonic decays are used to measure the production of D and B mesons. The first results for D mesons, single electrons and single muons are reported.