phi meson production in Au + Au collisions at sqrt{s_{NN} = 200 GeV

Abstract

We present the results on the mid-rapidity phi meson production in the K^{+}K^{-} decay channel in Au + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. The spectral shape of the phi resonance, studied at different collision centralities, is consistent with the particle data book. The transverse mass spectra are measured in four centrality bins. The inverse slopes (T), yields (dN/dy) and particle ratios are studied as a function of centrality. The nuclear modification factor is measured through the ratio, R_{CP}, of central to peripheral yields normalized to the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. The R_{CP} of the phi mesons is less than unity and is comparable to that of pions rather than R_{CP} ~ 1 observed for protons and anti-protons.