Measurement of the $B_c^-$ meson production fraction and asymmetry in 7 and 13 TeV $pp$ collisions

TL;DR

This paper measures the production fraction and asymmetry of the $B_c^-$ meson in proton-proton collisions at 7 and 13 TeV using LHCb data, finding a stable production rate with transverse momentum dependence and no significant asymmetry.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of the $B_c^-$ production fraction and asymmetry at different energies, revealing energy independence and transverse momentum dependence.

Findings

Production rate ~3.7 per mille, energy-independent.

Transverse momentum affects production rate.

No significant production asymmetry within uncertainties.

Abstract

The production fraction of the $B_c^-$ meson with respect to the sum of $B^-$ and $\bar{B}^0$ mesons is measured in both 7 and 13 TeV center-of-mass energy $pp$ collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), using the LHCb detector. The rate, approximately 3.7 per mille, does not change with energy, but shows a transverse momentum dependence. The $B_c^- - B_c^+$ production asymmetry is also measured, and is consistent with zero within the determined statistical and systematic uncertainties of a few percent.