The cross-section for inclusive phi meson production in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV has been measured with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The differential cross-section is measured as a function of the phi transverse momentum p_T and rapidity y in the region 0.6 < p_T < 5.0 GeV/c and 2.44 < y < 4.06. The cross-section for inclusive phi production in this kinematic range is sigma(pp -> phi X) = 1758 pm 19(stat) ^{+43}_{-14}(syst) pm 182(scale) microbarn, where the first systematic uncertainty depends on the p_T and y region and the second is related to the overall scale. Predictions based on the Pythia 6.4 generator underestimate the cross-section.
A precision measurement of the $Z$ boson production cross-section at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV in the forward region is presented, using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 fb$^{-1}$. The production cross-section is measured using $Z\rightarrow\mu^+\mu^-$ events within the fiducial region defined as pseudorapidity $2.0<\eta<4.5$ and transverse momentum $p_{T}>20$ GeV/$c$ for both muons and dimuon invariant mass $60<M_{\mu\mu}<120$ GeV/$c^2$. The integrated cross-section is determined to be $\sigma (Z \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-)$ = 196.4 $\pm$ 0.2 $\pm$ 1.6 $\pm$ 3.9~pb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the luminosity determination. The measured results are in agreement with theoretical predictions within uncertainties.
Exclusive $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ vector meson production has been observed in the dimuon channel using the LHCb detector. The cross-section times branching fractions to two muons with pseudorapidities between 2.0 and 4.5 are measured to be \begin{equation*} \sigma_{pp\rightarrow J/\psi (\rightarrow \mu^{+} \mu^{-})} (2.0 <\eta_{\mu^{\pm}}< 4.5) = 307 \pm 21 \pm 36~\text{pb}, \end{equation*} \begin{equation*} \sigma_{pp\rightarrow \psi(2S) (\rightarrow \mu^{+} \mu^{-})} (2.0 <\eta_{\mu^{\pm}}< 4.5) = 7.8 \pm 1.3 \pm 1.0~\text{pb}, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The measurements are found to be in good agreement with results from previous experiments and theoretical predictions. The $J/\psi$ photoproduction cross-section has been measured as a function of the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy. The results are consistent with measurements obtained at HERA and confirm a similar power law behaviour for the photoproduction cross-section.
The production of $J/\psi$ mesons accompanied by open charm, and of pairs of open charm hadrons are observed in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using an integrated luminosity of $355pb^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector. Model independent measurements of absolute cross-sections are given together with ratios to the measured $J/\psi$ and open charm cross-sections. The properties of these events are studied and compared to theoretical predictions.
A measurement of the cross-section for pp$ \rightarrow$Z$ \rightarrow$e$^+$e$^-$ is presented using data at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.94 fb$^{-1}$. The process is measured within the kinematic acceptance $p_{\mathrm{T}}>20$GeV/$c$ and $2<\eta<4.5$ for the daughter electrons and dielectron invariant mass in the range 60-120 GeV/$c^2$. The cross-section is determined to be $$\sigma(pp \rightarrow Z \rightarrow e^+ e^- )=76.0\pm0.8\pm2.0\pm2.6{\rm pb}$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third is the uncertainty in the luminosity. The measurement is performed as a function of Z rapidity and as a function of an angular variable which is closely related to the Z transverse momentum. The results are compared with previous LHCb measurements and with theoretical predictions from QCD.