Production of Lambda+c baryons in proton-proton and lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 5.02 TeV

The transverse momentum (pT) spectra of inclusively produced Λ+c baryons are measured via the exclusive decay channel Λ+c→pK−π+ using the CMS detector at the LHC. Spectra are measured as a function of transverse momentum in proton-proton (pp) and lead-lead (PbPb) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The measurement is performed within the Λ+c rapidity interval |y|<1 in the pT range of 5–20GeV/c in pp and 10–20GeV/c in PbPb collisions. The observed yields of Λ+c for pT of 10–20GeV/c suggest a suppression in central PbPb collisions compared to pp collisions scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions. The Λ+c/D0 production ratio in pp collisions is compared to theoretical models. In PbPb collisions, this ratio is consistent with the result from pp collisions in their common pT range.