Constraining hadronization mechanisms with Λ_c⁺/D⁰ production ratios in Pb–Pb collisions at s_NN=5.02 TeV

The production of prompt Λ_c⁺ baryons at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) was measured in central (0–10%) and mid-central (30–50%) Pb–Pb collisions at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon pair s_NN=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector. The results are more precise, more differential in centrality, and reach much lower transverse momentum (p_T=1 GeV/c) with respect to previous measurements performed by the ALICE, STAR, and CMS Collaborations in nucleus–nucleus collisions, allowing for an extrapolation down to p_T=0. The p_T-differential Λ_c⁺/D⁰ ratio is enhanced with respect to the pp measurement for 4<p_T<8 GeV/c by 3.7 standard deviations (σ), while the p_T-integrated ratios are compatible within 1σ. The observed trend is similar to that observed in the strange sector for the Λ/K_S⁰ ratio. Model calculations including coalescence or statistical hadronization for charm-hadron formation are compared with the data.