Measurement of the D-s(+)-D-s(-) production asymmetry in 7 TeV pp collisions

Heavy quark production in 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy pp collisions at the LHC is not necessarily flavour symmetric. The production asymmetry, A(P), between D-s(+) and D-s(-) mesons is studied using the phi pi(+/-) decay mode in a data sample of 1.0 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector. The difference between pi(+) and pi(-) detection efficiencies is determined using the ratios of fully reconstructed to partially reconstructed D*(+/-) decays. The overall production asymmetry in the D-s(+/-) rapidity region 2.0 to 4.5 with transverse momentum larger than 2 GeV is measured to be A(P) = (-0.33 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.10)%. This result can constrain models of heavy flavour production. (C) 2012 CERN. Published by Elsevier By. All rights reserved.