Prompt charm production inppcollisions at √s=7 TeV

Abstract

Charm production at the LHC in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector. The decays D0→K−π+,D+→K−π+π+,D∗+→D0(K−π+)π+,D+s→φ(K−K+)π+,Λ+c→pK−π+, and their charge conjugates are analysed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 15 nb−1. Differential cross-sections dσ/dpT are measured for prompt production of the fivecharmed hadron species in bins of transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0<pT<8GeV/c and 2.0<y<4.5. Theoretical predictions are compared to the measured differential cross-sections. The integrated cross-sections of the charm hadrons are computed in the above pT-y range, and their ratios arereported. A combination of the five integrated cross-section measurements gives σ(cc)pT<8GeV/c,2.0<y<4.5=1419±12(stat)±116(syst)±65(frag)μb,where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the fragmentation functions.