Centrality dependence of heavy flavor production from single electron measurement

Abstract

We present preliminary measurements of electron production in p+p, d+Au, and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV for transverse momenta 1.5 GeV/$c$ $<p_T<$8 GeV/$c$ as a function of centrality. These measurements were carried out using the STAR Time Projection Chamber and Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter. In this manuscript we describe the measurement techniques used to discriminate electrons from hadrons and the method used to evaluate the non-photonic contributions from semi-leptonic decays of heavy flavor mesons. The observed nuclear modification factors, $R_{AA}$, of non-photonic electrons indicate at substantial energy loss of heavy quarks at moderate to high $p_T$.