We report measurements of the production of prompt D$^0$, D$^+$, D$^{*+}$ and D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV, in the centrality classes 0-10%, 30-50% and 60-80%. The D-meson production yields are measured at mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.5$) as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$). The $p_{\rm T}$ intervals covered in central collisions are: $1<p_{\rm T}<50$ Gev/$c$ for D$^0$, $2<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for D$^+$, $3<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for D$^{*+}$, and $4<p_{\rm T}<16$ GeV/$c$ for D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons. The nuclear modification factors ($R_{\rm AA}$) for non-strange D mesons (D$^0$, D$^+$, D$^{*+}$) show minimum values of about 0.2 for $p_{\rm T}$ = 6-10 GeV/$c$ in the most central collisions and are compatible within uncertainties with those measured at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV. For D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons, the values of $R_{\rm AA}$ are larger than those of non-strange D mesons, but compatible within uncertainties. In central collisions the average $R_{\rm AA}$ of non-strange D mesons is compatible with that of charged particles for $p_{\rm T} > 8$ GeV/$c$, while it is larger at lower $p_{\rm T}$. The nuclear modification factors for strange and non-strange D mesons are also compared to theoretical models with different implementations of in-medium energy loss.
pT-differential yield of prompt D0 mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D0->Kpi : 0.0393.
pT-differential yield of prompt D+ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D+->Kpipi : 0.0946.
pT-differential yield of prompt D*+ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D*+->D0pi->Kpipi : 0.0393*0.677.
The production of prompt D$_s^+$ mesons was measured for the first time in collisions of heavy nuclei with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis was performed on a data sample of Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair, $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, of 2.76 TeV in two different centrality classes, namely 0-10% and 20-50%. D$_s^+$ mesons and their antiparticles were reconstructed at mid-rapidity from their hadronic decay channel D$_s^+\rightarrow\phi\pi^+$, with $\phi\rightarrow$K$^-$K$^+$, in the transverse momentum intervals $4< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ and $6< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ for the 0-10% and 20-50% centrality classes, respectively. The nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ was computed by comparing the $p_{\rm T}$-differential production yields in Pb-Pb collisions to those in proton-proton (pp) collisions at the same energy. This pp reference was obtained using the cross section measured at $\sqrt{s}= 7$ TeV and scaled to $\sqrt{s}= 2.76$ TeV. The $R_{\rm AA}$ of D$_s^+$ mesons was compared to that of non-strange D mesons in the 10% most central Pb-Pb collisions. At high $p_{\rm T}$ ($8< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$) a suppression of the D$_s^+$-meson yield by a factor of about three, compatible within uncertainties with that of non-strange D mesons, is observed. At lower $p_{\rm T}$ ($4< p_{\rm T}<8$ GeV/$c$) the values of the D$_s^+$-meson $R_{\rm AA}$ are larger than those of non-strange D mesons, although compatible within uncertainties. The production ratios D$_s^+$/D$^0$ and D$_s^+$\D$^+$ were also measured in Pb-Pb collisions and compared to their values in proton-proton collisions.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yield of prompt D$_s^+$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=2.76 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D$_s^+$->$\phi\pi^+$->$K^+K^-\pi^+$ : 0.0224. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yield of prompt D$_s^+$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=2.76 TeV in the centrality class 20-50% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D$_s^+$->$\phi\pi^+$->$K^+K^-\pi^+$ : 0.0224. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
Nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ of D$_s^+$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=2.76 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in |y| < 0.5 as a function of $p_{\rm T}$.
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