Transverse momentum spectra of hadrons identified with the ALICE Inner Tracking System

TL;DR

This paper discusses the use of the ALICE Inner Tracking System for identifying low momentum hadrons and measuring their transverse momentum spectra, enhancing particle identification capabilities at low $p_{t}$.

Contribution

It introduces the ITS as a standalone tracker and particle identifier, extending low $p_{t}$ hadron identification in ALICE.

Findings

Extended $p_{t}$ range for pion/kaon separation (100-500 MeV/c).

Effective identification of protons in the 200-800 MeV/c range.

Methods for extracting $p_{t}$ spectra of identified hadrons are detailed.

Abstract

The Inner Tracking System is the ALICE detector closest to the beam axis. It is composed of six layers of silicon detectors: two innermost layers of Silicon Pixel Detectors (SPD), two intermediate layers of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) and two outermost layers of Silicon Strip Detectors (SSD). The ITS can be used as a standalone tracker in order to recover tracks that are not reconstructed by the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and to reconstruct low momentum particles with $p_{t}$ down to 100 MeV/c. Particle identification in the ITS is performed by measuring the energy loss signal in the SDD and SSD layers. The ITS allows to extend the charged particle identification capability in the ALICE central rapidity region at low $p_{t}$: it is possible to separate $\pi/K$ in the range 100 MeV/c $< p_{t} <$ 500 MeV/c and $K/p$ in the range 200 MeV/c $ < p_{t} <$ 800 MeV/c. The identification of hadron in the ITS will be discussed in detail, different methods used to extract the $p_{t}$ spectra of $\pi, K$ and $p$ will also be described.