Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of η mesons in the range p T ≈ 2-12 GeV/c have been measured at midrapidity (|η| < 0.35) by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC in p+p, d+Au, and Au+Au collisions at √ s NN = 200 GeV. The η mesons are reconstructed through their η → γ γ channel for the three colliding systems as well as through the η → π 0 π + π − decay mode in p+p and d+Au collisions. The nuclear modification factor in d+Au collisions, R dAu (p T ) ≈ 1.0-1.1, suggests at most only modest p T broadening ("Cronin enhancement").
024909-2HIGH TRANSVERSE MOMENTUM η MESON . . . PHYSICAL REVIEW C 75, 024909 (2007)