Heavy-quark Langevin dynamics and single-electron spectra in nucleus-nucleus collision

Abstract: The stochastic dynamics of heavy quarks in the fireball produced in heavy-ion collisions is followed through numerical simulations based on the Langevin equation. The modification of the final p_T spectra (R_AA) of c and b quarks, hadrons and single-electrons with respect to pp collisions is studied. The transport coefficients are evaluated treating separately the contribution of soft and hard collisions. The initial heavy-quark spectra are generated according to NLO-pQCD, accounting for nuclear effects through recent nPDFs. The evolution of the medium is obtained from the output of two hydro-codes (ideal and viscous). The heavy-quark fragmentation into hadrons and their final semileptonic decays are implemented according to up to date experimental data. A comparison with RHIC data for non-photonic electron spectra is given.