Measurement of electrons from heavy-flavour decays in Pb-Pb collisions at SNN = 2.76 TeV with ALICE

Abstract

The measurement of heavy-flavour (charm and beauty) production in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions provides an important contribution to the study of the properties of the hot and dense medium created in such collisions. One approach to measure heavy-flavour production is via electrons from semi-leptonic decays of heavy-flavour hadrons. In this contribution we present the nuclear modification factor (RAA) and the azimuthal anisotropy (v2) of heavy-flavour decay electrons in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV, which are sensitive to the interaction of c and b quarks with the medium. We also present, for the first time, the azimuthal angular correlations of heavy-flavour decay electrons and charged hadrons, Δφ(HFE,h), in Pb-Pb collisions and the corresponding near-side yield ratio (IAA).