Recent results on heavy flavour in small and large systems from ALICE

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent ALICE measurements of heavy-flavour hadron production in small and large collision systems, providing insights into QCD processes and the properties of the quark-gluon plasma.

Contribution

It presents new experimental results on heavy-flavour production across different collision systems, advancing understanding of QGP effects and heavy quark hadronisation.

Findings

Heavy-flavour production varies with system size and collision energy.

Results support models of heavy quark energy loss in QGP.

Data constrains QCD predictions for heavy-flavour yields.

Abstract

Heavy-flavour hadrons, containing open or hidden charm and beauty flavours, are considered as hard probes of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), which is a hot and dense phase state of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter. Production of heavy flavours involves large momentum transfer processes during collisions. Heavy quarks are expected to be produced in the initial stage of collisions and therefore prior to the formation of the QGP in heavy-ion collisions. Consequently, heavy quarks travel through and interact with the QGP. Hence, measuring both open and hidden heavy-flavour production in large systems provides information on the QGP properties and heavy quark hadronisation. Heavy-flavour production is measured in small and large systems with ALICE in order to test (perturbative) QCD and study the effects induced by the medium. In this contribution, recent ALICE results on heavy-flavour production in pp, p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions are reported.