The pTp_{T} Spectrum in Heavy-Flavour Hadroproduction

We consider the transverse-momentum distribution of heavy flavours in hadronic collisions. We present a formalism in which large transverse-momentum logarithms are resummed at the next-to-leading level, and mass effects are included exactly up to order \alpha_strong^3, so as to retain predictivity at both small and large transverse momenta. As an example, we apply our formalism to b production at the Tevatron

D^* production from e^+e^- to ep collisions in NLO QCD

Fragmentation functions for D mesons, based on the convolution of a perturbative part, related to the heavy quark perturbative showering, and a non-perturbative model for its hadronization into the meson, are used to describe D^* production in e^+e^- and ep collisions. The non-perturbative part is determined by fitting the e^+e^- data taken by ARGUS and OPAL at 10.6 and 91.2 GeV respectively. When fitting with a non perturbative Peterson fragmentation function and using next-to-leading evolution for the perturbative part, we find an epsilon parameter sensibly different from the one commonly used, which is instead found with a leading order fit. The use of this new value is shown to increase considerably the cross section for D^* production at HERA, suggesting a possible reconciliation between the next-to-leading order theoretical predictions and the experimental data.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX2e, 8 Postscript figure

Charmed Mesons Fragmentation Functions

Fragmentation functions for heavy-light mesons, like the charmed D, D^* mesons, are proposed. They rest on next-to-leading QCD Perturbative Fragmentation Functions for heavy quarks, with the addition of a non-perturbative term describing phenomenologically the quark --> meson transition. The cross section for production of large p_T D, D^* mesons at the Tevatron is evaluated in this framework.Comment: Small changes in text and last figure (inclusion of Sudakov form factors). No qualitative changes in result

Inclusive B-Meson Production in e^+ e^- and p p-bar Collisions

We provide nonperturbative fragmentation functions for B mesons, both at leading and next-to-leading order in the MS-bar factorization scheme with five massless quark flavors. They are determined by fitting the fractional energy distribution of B mesons inclusively produced in e^+ e^- annihilation at CERN LEP1. Theoretical predictions for the inclusive production of B mesons with high transverse momenta in p p-bar scattering obtained with these fragmentation functions nicely agree, both in shape and normalization, with data recently taken at the Fermilab Tevatron.Comment: 20 pages (Latex), 6 figures (Postscript

Heavy-flavour production in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC, measured with the ALICE detector

We present the first results from the ALICE experiment on the nuclear modification factors for heavy-flavour hadron production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=2.76 TeV. Using proton-proton and lead-lead collision samples at sqrt{s}=7 TeV and sqrt{s_NN}=2.76 TeV, respectively, nuclear modification factors R_AA(pt) were measured for D mesons at central rapidity (via displaced decay vertex reconstruction), and for electrons and muons, at central and forward rapidity, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, plenary talk at Quark Matter 2011, Annecy, Franc

J/psi Production via Fragmentation at the Tevatron

The production of \jpsi at large transverse momenta (\pt > M_\jpsi) in $p\bar p$ collisions is considered by including the mechanism of fragmentation. Both contributions of fragmentation to \jpsi and of fragmentation to $\chi$ states followed by radiative decay to \jpsi are taken into account. The latter is found to be dominant and larger than direct production. The overall theoretical estimate is shown to be nearly consistent with the experimental observation.Comment: LaTeX, 7 pages. Preprint FNT/T-94/13, LNF-94/024(P). Data taken from a reference were incorrect and have been changed. Complete postscript file available via anonymous ftp at cobra1.pv.infn.it, as pub/jpsi.ps(.Z)(.gz

Next-to-Leading Order Cross Sections for Tagged Reactions

We extend the phase space slicing method of Giele, Glover and Kosower for performing next-to-leading order jet cross section calculations in two important ways: we show how to include fragmentation functions and how to include massive particles. These extensions allow the application of this method to not just jet cross sections but also to cross sections in which a particular final state particle, including a $D$ or $B$-meson, is tagged.Comment: 36 pages, Latex Small corrections to text. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Theory of hard photoproduction

The present theoretical knowledge about photons and hard photoproduction processes, i.e. the production of jets, light and heavy hadrons, quarkonia, and prompt photons in photon-photon and photon-hadron collisions, is reviewed. Virtual and polarized photons and prompt photon production in hadron collisions are also discussed. The most important leading and next-to-leading order QCD results are compiled in analytic form. A large variety of numerical predictions is compared to data from TRISTAN, LEP, and HERA and extended to future electron and muon colliders. The sources of all relevant results are collected in a rich bibliography.Comment: Habilitationsschrift, scheduled for publication in Rev. Mod. Phys., 126 pages, 61 figure