Constraining fragmentation functions through hadron-photon production at higher-orders

Abstract

In certain situations, such as one-particle inclusive processes, it is possible to model the hadronization through fragmentation functions (FFs), which are universal nonperturbative functions extracted from experimental data through advanced fitting techniques. Constraining the parameters of such fits is crucial to reduce the uncertainties, and provide reliable and accurate FFs. In this article, we explore strategies to relate pion and FFs for other hadrons (in particular, kaons), comparing cross-section ratios imposing proper kinematical cuts. We exploit the phenomenology of photon-hadron production at colliders, including up to Next-to-Leading Order (NLO) in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and Leading Order (LO) in Quantum Electrodynamics(QED) corrections, and make use of accurate formulas to reconstruct the partonic momentum fractions. By studying different cuts, we manage to isolate the contribution of u-started FFs. Then, we relate the ratios of the z-spectrum for pion and kaon production, with the corresponding FFs ratios. The methodology described in this article can be used to relate FFs for any pair of hadrons, and could be further explored to keep track of the flavor of the partons undergoing the hadronization.