The $\phi (1020)\rightarrow e^{+}e^{-}$ meson decay measured with the STAR experiment in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV

TL;DR

This study measures the $\, ext{phi}(1020) ightarrow e^{+}e^{-}\,$ decay in gold-gold collisions at high energy, finding mass and width close to vacuum values and no significant differences between decay channels, providing insights into medium effects.

Contribution

First measurement of the leptonic decay channel of the $\, ext{phi}(1020)\,$ meson in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC energies, with comparison to hadronic decay results and theoretical models.

Findings

Mass and width consistent with vacuum values within uncertainties.

No significant difference between leptonic and hadronic decay channels.

Results agree with models including medium modifications.

Abstract

We report the measurement of the leptonic ($e^{+}e^{-}$) decay channel of the $\phi$(1020) meson in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment. The transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) spectrum is measured for 0.1 $\le p_{\rm T} \le 2.5$ GeV/$c$ at mid-rapidity ($|y|\le1$). We obtain the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated $\phi$(1020) mass $M_{\phi}=1017.7\pm0.8 (\rm {stat.}) \pm0.9 (\rm {sys.})$ MeV/$c^{2}$ and width $\Gamma_{\phi} = 8.0\pm 2.5(\rm {stat.}) \pm 2.3(\rm {sys.}) \textrm{MeV/}c^{2}$, which are within 1.5\,$\sigma$ and 1.1\,$\sigma$ of the vacuum values, respectively. No significant difference is observed in the measured $p_{\rm T}$ spectrum, $dN/dy$, or $\left<p_{\rm T}\right>$ of the $\phi$(1020) meson between the $e^{+}e^{-}$ and hadronic ($K^{+}K^{-}$) decay channels as measured by the same experiment. The experimental results are compared to a theoretical model including medium-modified $\phi$(1020).