La chromodynamique quantique (QCD) prédit l'existence d'un nouvel état de la matière : le plasma de quarks et de gluons (PQG). Celui-ci aurait existé dans les premiers instants suivant le Big Bang et peut en principe être produit sous les conditions extrêmes de température et de densité atteintes lors de collisions d'ions lourds à haute énergie (au LHC par exemple). Un des marqueurs de sa présence est la suppression des quarkonia (états liés de quark/antiquark lourds), caractérisée par une production inférieure de ces états dans les collisions d'ions lourds relativement aux collisions proton-proton où le PQG ne pourrait être créé. Cette suppression a bien été observée expérimentalement, mais l'évolution de ses tendances aux énergies du RHIC et du LHC est un véritable défi qui requiert une meilleure compréhension théorique. La présente thèse a pour but d’étudier l’évolution en temps réel de paires corrélées de quark/antiquark lourds considérées comme des systèmes quantiques ouverts en interaction permanente avec un PQG en refroidissement. Explicitement, l'interaction continue entre le milieu et les degrés de liberté internes de la paire est obtenue par 1) un écrantage de couleur dit « de Debye » dû à la présence de charges de couleur dans leur voisinage et 2) des mécanismes de fluctuation/dissipation qui reflètent les collisions permanentes. Cela mène à une image dynamique et continue de la dissociation des quarkonia, de leur recombinaison et des transitions entre états liés. L'étude est transversale à différents cadres théoriques : semi-classique, quantique et quantique des champs. Les prédictions du modèle sont comparées aux résultats expérimentaux et aux résultats d'autres modèles théoriques. / The theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) predicts the existence of a new state of matter: the Quark-GluonPlasma (QGP). The latter may have existed at the first moments of the Universe following the Big Bang and can be, in theory, re-produced under the extreme conditions of temperature and density reached in high energy heavy ion collisions (at the LHC for instance). One of the QGP observables is the suppression of the quarkonia (heavy quark/antiquark bound states), characterised by a smaller production of these states in heavy ion collisions in comparison to proton-protoncollisions, in which no QGP production would be possible. This suppression has indeed been observed experimentally, but the puzzling evolution of its trend from RHIC to LHC energies requires a better theoretical understanding. The present thesis aims at studying the real-time evolution of correlated heavy quark/antiquark pairs described as open quantum systems which permanently interact with a cooling QGP. More explicitly, the continuous interaction between the medium and the pair internal degrees of freedom is obtained through 1) a temperature dependent color screening (“Debye” like) due to color charges in the irvicinity and 2) some fluctuation/dissipation mechanisms reflecting the continuous collisions. It leads to a dynamical and continuous picture of the dissociation, recombination and possible transitions to other bound states. This investigation is at the crossroads of different theoretical frameworks: semi-classic, quantum and quantum fields. The deduced predictions are compared to experimental data and to the results of other theoretical models.

Les collisions d’ions lourds ultrarelativistes ont pour objectif principal l'étude des propriétés de la matière nucléaire soumise à températures et densités d'énergie extrêmes. La chromodynamique quantique (QCD) prédit, dans ces conditions, l’existence d’une nouvelle phase de la matière dans laquelle les constituants des hadrons sont déconfinés en un plasma de quarks et gluons (QGP). Les saveurs lourdes (charme et beauté) sont produites lors de processus durs aux premiers instants des collisions, avant de traverser le milieu. Par conséquent, la mesure des quarkonia (mésons cc et bb) est particulièrement intéressante pour l'étude du QGP : leur dissociation, due notamment à l’écrantage de couleur, est sensible à la température initiale du système. Les mesures effectuées au SPS et RHIC ont permis de mettre en évidence plusieurs caractéristiques du milieu produit, mais ont aussi laissé plusieurs questions sans réponse. Avec une énergie 14 fois supérieure à celle du RHIC, l’accélérateur LHC (Large Hadron Collider) au CERN, entré en fonctionnement fin 2009, a ouvert une nouvelle ère pour l'étude des propriétés du QGP. ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) est une des quatre grandes expériences fonctionnant auprès du LHC et dont le but principal est l'étude du plasma de quarks et gluons produit dans les collisions d'ions plomb à une énergie de 2.76 TeV par nucléon. Elle enregistre aussi des collisions pp afin de fournir la référence indispensable pour l'étude des collisions noyau-noyau et proton-noyau et de tester les calculs perturbatifs de QCD dans la région des faibles valeurs de la variable d'échelle x de Bjorken. Les quarkonia, ainsi que les saveurs lourdes ouvertes et les mésons légers, sont mesurés dans ALICE suivant leur mode de désintégration muonique avec le spectromètre à muons situé à petit angle polaire. Il est constitué d'un ensemble d’absorbeurs, d’un dipôle chaud, de cinq stations de trajectographie (Muon Tracking) et de deux stations de déclenchement (Muon Trigger). Le travail présenté dans cette thèse a été réalisé de 2011 à 2013 pendant les premières années de prise de données dans l’expérience ALICE. Après une introduction à la physique des ions lourds à hautes énergies et une description du setup expérimental, une étude des performances du Muon Trigger en Pb-Pb est proposée. En particulier, la stabilité dans le temps du détecteur et son efficacité de fonctionnement sont contrôlées. Le cluster size, correspondant au nombre moyen de voies adjacentes touchées par particule détectée, est étudié en fonction des différents variables. Les valeurs expérimentales sont comparées à des simulations afin de fournir une paramétrisation de cet effet. Finalement, la production du méson Ç en collisions Pb-Pb est analysée en détail et comparée à celle en collisions pp à la même énergie. Les résultats obtenus sont comparés aux mesures du J/ψ par ALICE, aux mesures par CMS et à des prédictions de modèles théoriques. / The main goal of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions is the study of the properties of the matter at very high temperatures and energy densities. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) predicts in these conditions the existence of a new phase of the matter whose components are deconfined in a Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Heavy quarks (charm e bottom) are produced in the first stages of the collisions, before to interact with the medium. Therefore, the measurement of the quarkonia (cc and bb mesons) is of particular interest for the study of the QGP: their dissociation mainly due to the colour screening is sensible to the initial temperature of the medium. Previous measurements at the SPS and RHIC allowed to understand some characteristics of the system produced, but they also opened many questions. With an energy 14 times higher than RHIC, the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN opened a new era for the study of the QGP properties. ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC experiment fully dedicated to the study of the Quark-Gluon Plasma produced in Pb-Pb collisions at an energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon. The experiment also participates to the proton-proton data taking in order to obtain the fundamental reference for the study of ion-ion and proton-ion collisions and for testing the predictions at very small Bjorken-x values of the perturbative QCD. Quarkonia, D and B mesons and light vector mesons are measured at forward rapidity by a Muon Spectrometer exploiting their (di)muonic decay. This detector is composed of a front absorber, a dipole magnet, five stations of tracking (Muon Tracking) and two stations of trigger (Muon Trigger). The work presented in this thesis has been carried out from 2011 to 2013 during the first period of data taking of ALICE. After a detailed introduction of the heavy-ion physics and a description of the experimental setup, the performance of the Muon Trigger in Pb–Pb collisions are shown. A particular attention is devoted to the stability of the detector during the time and to the trigger effectiveness. Moreover, the cluster size, corresponding to the number of adjacent strips hit by a particle, is studied as a function of different variables. The experimental results will be compared to simulations in order to obtain a good parametrization of this phenomenon. Finally, the Ç production in Pb-Pb collisions is carefully analysed and compared to that in pp collisions at the same energy. The results are then compared to the J/ψ measurements obtained by ALICE, to the CMS results and to some theoretical predictions.

Heavy-ion collisions are a powerful tool to study hot and dense QCD matter, the so-called Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Since heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are dominantly produced in the early stages of the collision, they experience the complete evolution of the system. Measurements of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decay is one possible way to study the interaction of these particles with the QGP. With ALICE at LHC, electrons can be identified with high efficiency and purity. A strong suppression of heavy-flavour decay electrons has been observed at high $p_{m T}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV. Measurements in p-Pb collisions are crucial to understand cold nuclear matter effects on heavy-flavour production in heavy-ion collisions. The spectrum of electrons from the decays of hadrons containing charm and beauty was measured in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. The heavy flavour decay electrons were measured by using the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMCal) detectors from ALICE in the transverse-momentum range $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. The measurements were done in two different data set: minimum bias collisions and data using the EMCal trigger. The non-heavy flavour electron background was removed using an invariant mass method. The results are compatible with one ($R_ \\approx$ 1) and the cold nuclear matter effects in p-Pb collisions are small for the electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays. / Colisões de íons pesados relativísticos é uma ferramenta poderosa para se estudar o plasma de quarks e glúons (QGP). Quarks pesados ({\\it charm} e {\\it beauty}) são produzidos nos estágios iniciais da colisão e participam da evolução completa do sistema. Medidas de elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados é uma das possíveis formas de se estudar a interação destas partículas com o QGP. Utilizando o detetor ALICE do LHC, elétrons podem ser identificados com alta eficiência e boa pureza. Uma forte supressão de elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados foi observada em alto $p_$ em colisões de Pb-Pb a 2.76 TeV. Medidas do mesmo observável em colisões p-Pb são cruciais para se entender os efeitos da matéria nuclear fria na produção de tais partículas. O espectro de elétrons provenientes de hádrons que contêm {\\it charm} ou {\\it beauty} foi medido em colisões p-Pb a $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. Os elétrons foram identificados utilizando o {\\it Time Projection Chamber} (TPC) e o {\\it Electromagnetic Calorimeter} (EMCal) do detetor ALICE, no intervalo de momento transversal de $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. As medidas foram realizadas utilizando dois diferentes conjunto de dados: colisões de mínima tendenciosidade ({\\it minimum bias (MB)}) e colisões tomadas utilizando o trigger do EMCal. Os elétrons de fundo foram removidos utilizando um método de massa invariante. Os resultados são compatíveis com a unidade ($R_ \\approx$ 1) e os efeitos da matéria nuclear fria são pequenos para elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados.

Orientador: Gastão Inácio Krein / Resumo: Existem poucas dúvidas de que a QCD seja a teoria correta das interações fortes. As dificuldades em resolver a teoria em baixas energias no regime fortemente acoplado e não perturbativo tem deixado sem respostas muitas questões importantes, tais como a natureza do confinamento e o mecanismo de hadronização. Diversos métodos têm sido usados para estudar suas propriedades e consequências a baixas energias. Esses métodos incluem a QCD na rede, as equações de Dyson- Schwinger, a teoria de perturbação chiral e os modelos de quarks. Recentemente, a dualidade gauge/gravidade tem fornecido uma nova maneira de acessar o regime fortemente acoplado de uma teoria de calibre via uma teoria de gravidade dual, em especial da QCD através de modelos holográficos. Tais modelos são usualmente denominados modelos holográficos para a QCD, ou apenas modelos AdS/QCD. Nesta tese investigamos importantes problemas de interesse atual em física hadrônica envolvendo as quebras das simetrias chiral e de sabor usando modelos holográficos para a QCD. Estes problemas são: (1) o desaparecimento das constantes de decaimento leptônicas dos estados excitados do pion no limite quiral; (2) os efeitos da quebra de simetria de sabor no acoplamentos do méson rho aos mésons charmosos D and D^{*} e seus fatores de forma eletromagnéticos; (3) os efeitos de um campo magnético e da temperatura sobre o condensado quiral, sinalizando uma catálise magnética inversa. / Abstract: There is little doubt that QCD is the correct theory for the strong interactions. The difficulties in solving the theory at low energies in the strongly interacting, non-perturbative regime have left unanswered many important questions, such as the nature of confinement and the mechanism of hadronization. Several approaches have been used to study its properties and consequences at low energies. These include lattice QCD, Dyson-Schwinger equations, chiral perturbation theory and quark models. More recently, the gauge/gravity duality has provided a new way to access the strongly coupled regime of a gauge theory via a dual gravity theory, in special of QCD through holographic models. Such models are usually named as holographic QCD models, or just AdS/QCD models. In this thesis, we investigate three problems of contemporary interest in hadronic physics involving the chiral and flavor symmetries holographic QCD models. These problems are: (1) the vanishing of the leptonic decay constants of the excited states of the pion in the chiral limit; (2) the effects of the flavor symmetry breaking on the strong couplings of the rho meson to the charmed D and D^{*} mesons and the their electromagnetic form factors; (3) the effects of a magnetic field and temperature on the chiral condensate, signalizing inverse magnetic catalysis. / Doutor

Submitted by Carlisson Miller Cantanhede Pereira (miller@ift.unesp.br) on 2017-09-13T20:55:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Carlisson_Miller.pdf: 3316974 bytes, checksum: b3c4fb6f0c7fe685339da7e2dc50fc18 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-09-15T13:43:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 pereira_cmc_dr_ift.pdf: 3316974 bytes, checksum: b3c4fb6f0c7fe685339da7e2dc50fc18 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-15T13:43:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 pereira_cmc_dr_ift.pdf: 3316974 bytes, checksum: b3c4fb6f0c7fe685339da7e2dc50fc18 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Existem poucas dúvidas de que a QCD seja a teoria correta das interações fortes. As dificuldades em resolver a teoria em baixas energias no regime fortemente acoplado e não perturbativo tem deixado sem respostas muitas questões importantes, tais como a natureza do confinamento e o mecanismo de hadronização. Diversos métodos têm sido usados para estudar suas propriedades e consequências a baixas energias. Esses métodos incluem a QCD na rede, as equações de Dyson- Schwinger, a teoria de perturbação chiral e os modelos de quarks. Recentemente, a dualidade gauge/gravidade tem fornecido uma nova maneira de acessar o regime fortemente acoplado de uma teoria de calibre via uma teoria de gravidade dual, em especial da QCD através de modelos holográficos. Tais modelos são usualmente denominados modelos holográficos para a QCD, ou apenas modelos AdS/QCD. Nesta tese investigamos importantes problemas de interesse atual em física hadrônica envolvendo as quebras das simetrias chiral e de sabor usando modelos holográficos para a QCD. Estes problemas são: (1) o desaparecimento das constantes de decaimento leptônicas dos estados excitados do pion no limite quiral; (2) os efeitos da quebra de simetria de sabor no acoplamentos do méson rho aos mésons charmosos D and D^{*} e seus fatores de forma eletromagnéticos; (3) os efeitos de um campo magnético e da temperatura sobre o condensado quiral, sinalizando uma catálise magnética inversa. / There is little doubt that QCD is the correct theory for the strong interactions. The difficulties in solving the theory at low energies in the strongly interacting, non-perturbative regime have left unanswered many important questions, such as the nature of confinement and the mechanism of hadronization. Several approaches have been used to study its properties and consequences at low energies. These include lattice QCD, Dyson-Schwinger equations, chiral perturbation theory and quark models. More recently, the gauge/gravity duality has provided a new way to access the strongly coupled regime of a gauge theory via a dual gravity theory, in special of QCD through holographic models. Such models are usually named as holographic QCD models, or just AdS/QCD models. In this thesis, we investigate three problems of contemporary interest in hadronic physics involving the chiral and flavor symmetries holographic QCD models. These problems are: (1) the vanishing of the leptonic decay constants of the excited states of the pion in the chiral limit; (2) the effects of the flavor symmetry breaking on the strong couplings of the rho meson to the charmed D and D^{*} mesons and the their electromagnetic form factors; (3) the effects of a magnetic field and temperature on the chiral condensate, signalizing inverse magnetic catalysis.

Orientador: Jun Takahashi / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T10:21:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vasconcelos_GeraldoMagelaSeverino_M.pdf: 4363414 bytes, checksum: 50c5bd667b62ccab57088d6b77e1ec81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: As colisões de íons pesados em energias relativísticas permitem estudar o comportamento da matéria nuclear em condições extremas de temperatura e alta densidade de energia. Nessas condições, espera-se uma transição de fase da matéria onde seria formado um estado de quarks e glúons livres, conhecido como Plasma de Quarks e Glúons (QGP). Com o objetivo de estudar a formação deste novo estado e suas características, o experimento STAR, situado no Laboratório Nacional de Brookhaven, Nova Iorque, mede vários canais observáveis das colisões de íons pesados. Uma das marcas da formação do QGP é o aumento da produção de estranheza. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a produção dos bárions multi-estranhos X e W produzidos nas colisões de Cu+Cu com energia de 62,4 GeV=A no referencial do centro de massa (CM), medidos no experimento STAR. Foram obtidos os espectros de momento transverso dessas partículas e a partir deles foi extraída a abundância de produção por unidade de rapidez na região de rapidez central (dN=dy)y=0. A produção desses bárions foi comparada com os resultados de um outro sistema (Au+Au) na mesma energia para estudar a dependência da produção de estranheza em função do tamanho do sistema formado. Os resultados mostraram que a produção de estranheza cresce com o tamanho do sistema, e que este aumento é ligeiramente maior para o sistema de Cu+Cu do que Au+Au. Os resultados deste trabalho são inéditos e complementam um estudo sistemático da produção de estranheza. Também são importantes para a compreensão dos mecanismos de produção de estranheza em diferentes energias / Abstract: Relativistic heavy-ion collisions allow us to study the behavior of nuclear matter at extreme conditions of temperature and energy density. In these conditions, we expect a phase transition of matter where a free state of quarks and gluons would be formed, and that is known as Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). With the aim to study this new state of matter and its features, the STAR experiment was built at BNL (Brookhaven National Laboratory), New York. The STAR experiment measures many observables of heavy-ion collisions and in particular, the strangeness enhancement in QGP is of special interest. The aim of this work was the study of multi-strange baryon production, X and W , at collisions of Cu+Cu in the center of mass energy of 62.4 GeV=A measured at the STAR experiment. Transverse momentum spectra and integrated yields for X and W at mid-rapidity are presented in this work. We also compared Cu+Cu and Au+Au systems in order to study the dependence of strange particle production with the system size. The results showed that strangeness production enhances with the system size, and strange baryons yields in Cu+Cu are slightly larger than Au+Au for the same energy. The new results obtained here complement a systematic study of strangeness production in heavy ion collisions and are important to understand the strangeness particle production mechanism in different energies / Mestrado / Física Nuclear / Mestre em Física

Heavy-ion collisions are a powerful tool to study hot and dense QCD matter, the so-called Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Since heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are dominantly produced in the early stages of the collision, they experience the complete evolution of the system. Measurements of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decay is one possible way to study the interaction of these particles with the QGP. With ALICE at LHC, electrons can be identified with high efficiency and purity. A strong suppression of heavy-flavour decay electrons has been observed at high $p_{m T}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV. Measurements in p-Pb collisions are crucial to understand cold nuclear matter effects on heavy-flavour production in heavy-ion collisions. The spectrum of electrons from the decays of hadrons containing charm and beauty was measured in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. The heavy flavour decay electrons were measured by using the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMCal) detectors from ALICE in the transverse-momentum range $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. The measurements were done in two different data set: minimum bias collisions and data using the EMCal trigger. The non-heavy flavour electron background was removed using an invariant mass method. The results are compatible with one ($R_ \\approx$ 1) and the cold nuclear matter effects in p-Pb collisions are small for the electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays. / Colisões de íons pesados relativísticos é uma ferramenta poderosa para se estudar o plasma de quarks e glúons (QGP). Quarks pesados ({\\it charm} e {\\it beauty}) são produzidos nos estágios iniciais da colisão e participam da evolução completa do sistema. Medidas de elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados é uma das possíveis formas de se estudar a interação destas partículas com o QGP. Utilizando o detetor ALICE do LHC, elétrons podem ser identificados com alta eficiência e boa pureza. Uma forte supressão de elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados foi observada em alto $p_$ em colisões de Pb-Pb a 2.76 TeV. Medidas do mesmo observável em colisões p-Pb são cruciais para se entender os efeitos da matéria nuclear fria na produção de tais partículas. O espectro de elétrons provenientes de hádrons que contêm {\\it charm} ou {\\it beauty} foi medido em colisões p-Pb a $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. Os elétrons foram identificados utilizando o {\\it Time Projection Chamber} (TPC) e o {\\it Electromagnetic Calorimeter} (EMCal) do detetor ALICE, no intervalo de momento transversal de $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. As medidas foram realizadas utilizando dois diferentes conjunto de dados: colisões de mínima tendenciosidade ({\\it minimum bias (MB)}) e colisões tomadas utilizando o trigger do EMCal. Os elétrons de fundo foram removidos utilizando um método de massa invariante. Os resultados são compatíveis com a unidade ($R_ \\approx$ 1) e os efeitos da matéria nuclear fria são pequenos para elétrons provenientes de quarks pesados.

L’expérience ALICE au LHC étudie le plasma de quarks gluons (PQG), état de la matière où quarks et gluons existent à l’état déconfinés. Une des sondes utilisée pour explorer cet état est l’étude de plusieurs résonances (ρ, ω, ф, J/ψ et Ƴ) via leur canal de désintégration dimuonique, à l’aide d’un spectromètre à muons couvrant les pseudo-rapidités -4 < η < -2.5. La première partie de la thèse se focalise sur les mésons vecteurs de basses masses (ρ, ω et ф) . Elle concerne l’analyse des données récoltées en 2010 en collisions pp à √s = 7 TeV et Pb-Pb à √sNN = 2.76 TeV. Les mésons vecteurs de basses masses sont des outils intéressants pour sonder le PQG grâce à leurs faibles durées de vie et leur canal de désintégration dimuonique non affecté par les interactions dans l’état final. Les taux de production et fonctions spectrales de ces mésons sont modifiées par le milieu hadronique chaud et le PQG. En collisions pp, les distributions du ф, du (ρ+ω) en fonction de l’impulsion transverse ainsi que les sections efficaces et sections efficaces différentielles de production des différents mésons ont été extraites. L’analyse en collisions Pb-Pb ainsi que ses perspectives sont également présentées. La seconde partie de la thèse concerne le futur de l’expérience ALICE et les plans d’amélioration des détecteurs pour l’horizon 2017. Une étude de faisabilité pour l’ajout d’un trajectographe en pixels de Silicium (MFT) à l’avant de l’absorbeur hadronique dans l’acceptance du spectromètre à muons est présentée. Les performances et améliorations apportées par le MFT dans différents canaux de physique ont été étudiées en simulation / ALICE experiment at LHC studies the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), a particular state of matter where quarks and gluons are deconfined. A probe to explore this state is the study of several resonances (ρ, ω, ф, J/ψ and Ƴ) through their dimuon decay channel, with a muon spectrometer covering pseudo-rapidity -4 < η < -2.5. In the first part of this thesis, the focus is on light vector mesons (ρ, ω and ф) and their analysis in the 2010 data, in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV and Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV. Light vector mesons are powerful tools to probe the QGP due to their short lifetime and their dimuon decay channel. Indeed, leptons have negligible final state interactions. Production rates and spectral functions of those mesons are modified by the hot hadronic and QGP medium. In pp collisions, pT distributions, production cross sections and pT-differential cross sections of the different mesons have been extracted. The Pb-Pb analysis and its prospects are also presented. The second part of the thesis concerns ALICE upgrades plans of year 2017. A feasibility study for a Muon Forward Tracker (MFT) in Silicon pixels located upstream of the hadronic absorber, in the spectrometer acceptance, was performed. Performances and improvements brought by the MFT on several physics cases were in simulations

Les collisions d'ions lourds ultra-relativistes ont pour objectif l'étude d'un état de matière en interaction forte dans des conditions extrêmes de densité d'énergie et température, le plasma de quarks et gluons (QGP). Les saveurs lourdes (charme et beauté) sont produites principalement lors de processus durs aux premiers instants de la collision et participent aux différentes étapes de la collision. Par conséquent, la mesure des saveurs lourdes ouvertes devrait permettre d'extraire des informations importantes concernant le système créé aux premiers instants de la collision. L'étude des collisions proton-proton (pp) fournit la référence indispensable pour la mesure des saveurs lourdes dans les systèmes lourds. Cette thèse est dédiée à l'étude de la production des muons de décroissance des hadrons charmés et beaux aux rapidités avant (2.5 < y < 4) dans les collisions pp sqrt (s) = 5.02 TeV, Pb-Pb à sqrt (sNN) = 2.76 et 5.02 TeV et Xe-Xe à sqrt (sNN) = 5.44 TeV enregistrées avec le détecteur ALICE au CERN-LHC. La mesure des sections efficaces différentielles de production des muons de décroissance des hadrons charmés et beaux dans les collisions pp à sqrt (s) = 5.02 TeV couvre un grand domaine en impulsion transverse de 2 à 20 GeV/c et ont une meilleure précision par rapport aux résultats publiés à sqrt (s) = 2.76 et 7 TeV. Les résultats sont en bon accord avec les calculs perturbatifs de QCD. Une importante suppression de la production des muons de décroissance des hadrons charmés et beaux est observée dans les collisions centrales (0-10%) Pb-Pb à sqrt (sNN) = 2.76 et 5.02 TeV. Cette suppression est attribuée au milieu dense et chaud formé dans ces collisions. L'influence de la taille du système est étudiée avec le système Xe-Xe à sqrt (sNN) = 5.44 TeV. La suppression est similaire à celle mesurée dans les collisions Pb-Pb. Les résultats obtenus dans les collisions Pb-Pb et Xe-Xe apportent des contraintes fortes aux paramètres des modèles. / The study of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions aims at investigating a state of strongly-interacting matter at high energy density and temperature, the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are predominantly produced in initial hard scattering processes during the early stage of the collisions and experience the full evolution of the medium. Therefore, the measurement of open heavy flavours should provide essential information on the QGP properties. Similar measurements in small systems are also essential for a comprehensible understanding of the QGP properties. The study of open heavy flavours in proton-proton (pp) collisions provides the mandatory reference for measurements in heavy-ion collisions. This thesis presents measurements of the production of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity (2.5 < y < 4) in pp collisions at sqrt (s) = 5.02 TeV, Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt (sNN) = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV and Xe-Xe collisions at sqrt (sNN) = 5.44 TeV collected with the ALICE detector at the CERN-LHC. The differential production cross sections of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in pp collisions at sqrt (s) = 5.02 TeV are obtained in a wide transverse momentum interval, 2 < pT < 20 GeV/c, and with an improved precision compared to the previously published measurements at sqrt (s) = 2.76 and 7 TeV. The measurements are described within uncertainties by predictions based on perturbative QCD. A strong suppression of the yield of muons from heavy-flavour decays is observed in the 10% most central Pb-Pb collisions at both sqrt (sNN) = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV. This suppression is due to final-state effects induced by the hot and dense medium. The suppression in Xe-Xe collisions is similar to that observed with Pb-Pb collisions. The comparison in the two colliding systems provides insight in the path-length dependence of medium-induced parton energy loss. The results constrain model calculations.