Factorization analysis for the fragmentation functions of hadrons containing a heavy quark

Abstract

Using methods of effective field theory, a systematic analysis of the fragmentation functions D_{a/H}(x,m_Q) of a hadron H containing a heavy quark Q is performed (with a=Q,Q_bar,q,q_bar,g). By integrating out pair production of virtual and real heavy quarks, the fragmentation functions are matched onto a single nonperturbative function describing the fragmentation of the heavy quark Q into the hadron H in "partially quenched" QCD. All calculable, short-distance dependence on x is extracted in this step. For x->1, the remaining fragmentation function can be matched further onto a universal function defined in heavy-quark effective theory in order to factor off its residual dependence on the heavy-quark mass. By solving the evolution equation in the effective theory analytically, large logarithms of the ratio mu/m_Q are resummed to all orders in perturbation theory. Connections with existing approaches to heavy-quark fragmentation are discussed. In particular, it is shown that previous attempts to extract log^n(1-x) terms from the fragmentation function D_{Q/H}(x,m_Q) are incompatible with a proper separation of short- and long-distance effects.