Abstract
The PHENIX experiment has measured midrapidity () transverse momentum spectra () of electrons as a function of centrality in collisions at . Contributions from photon conversions and from light hadron decays, mainly Dalitz decays of and mesons, were removed. The resulting nonphotonic electron spectra are primarily due to the semileptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy quarks. Nuclear modification factors were determined by comparison to nonphotonic electrons in collisions. A significant suppression of electrons at high is observed in central collisions, indicating substantial energy loss of heavy quarks.
- Received 17 October 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.032301
©2006 American Physical Society