Nuclear Modification of Electron Spectra and Implications for Heavy Quark Energy Loss in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV
Abstract
The PHENIX experiment has measured mid-rapidity transverse momentum spectra (0.4 < pT < 5.0 GeV/c) of electrons as a function of centrality in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV. Contributions from photon conversions and from light hadron decays, mainly Dalitz decays of pi0 and eta mesons, were removed. The resulting non-photonic electron spectra are primarily due to the semi-leptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy quarks. Nuclear modification factors were determined by comparison to non-photonic electrons in p+p collisions. A significant suppression of electrons at high pT is observed in central Au+Au collisions, indicating substantial energy loss of heavy quarks.
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