Measurement of high-p_T Single Electrons from Heavy-Flavor Decays in p+p Collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV

TL;DR

This study measures high-p_T electrons from heavy-flavor decays in proton-proton collisions at 200 GeV, compares results with pQCD predictions, and estimates the charm production cross section.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of heavy-flavor electron spectra at RHIC energies and compares them with theoretical calculations.

Findings

Heavy-flavor electron yields are consistent with pQCD calculations.

The total charm production cross section is estimated at 567 micro barns.

Two independent methods yield consistent results.

Abstract

The momentum distribution of electrons from decays of heavy flavor (charm and beauty) for midrapidity |y| < 0.35 in p+p collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) over the transverse momentum range 0.3 < p_T < 9 GeV/c. Two independent methods have been used to determine the heavy flavor yields, and the results are in good agreement with each other. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log pQCD calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties, with the data/theory ratio of 1.72 +/- 0.02^stat +/- 0.19^sys for 0.3 < p_T < 9 GeV/c. The total charm production cross section at this energy has also been deduced to be sigma_(c c^bar) = 567 +/- 57^stat +/- 224^sys micro barns.