Measurement of the differential $\gamma+2~b$-jet cross section and the ratio $\sigma$($\gamma+2~b$-jets)/$\sigma$($\gamma+b$-jet) in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurements of the differential cross section for photon production with two b-quark jets in proton-antiproton collisions, comparing results to various QCD theoretical models and simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental data on the differential cross section for gamma + 2 b-jets and their ratio to gamma + b-jet production at Tevatron energies.

Findings

Measured cross sections agree with NLO QCD predictions within uncertainties.

The ratio of gamma+2b-jet to gamma+b-jet cross sections varies with photon transverse momentum.

Results help constrain QCD models and parton distribution functions.

Abstract

We present the first measurements of the differential cross section $d\sigma/dp_{T}^{\gamma}$ for the production of an isolated photon in association with at least two $b$-quark jets. The measurements consider photons with rapidities $|y^\gamma| < 1.0$ and transverse momenta $30 < p_{T}^{\gamma} < 200$~\GeV. The $b$-quark jets are required to have $p_T^{jet}>15$ GeV and $| y^{jet}| < 1.5$. The ratio of differential production cross sections for $\gamma+2~b$-jets to $\gamma+b$-jet as a function of $p_{T}^{\gamma}$ is also presented. The results are based on the proton-antiproton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=$1.96~\TeV collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The measured cross sections and their ratios are compared to the next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations as well as predictions based on the $k_{T}$-factorization approach and those from the SHERPA and PYTHIA Monte Carlo event generators.