High-p_T electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in p-Pb collisions at &[root]s_NN = 8.16 TeV with ALICE

Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) calculation predicts that a colour-deconfined QCD matter, Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), is formed at high temperature and energy density reached in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are mostly produced by initial hard scatterings before the formation of the QGP. Therefore heavy-flavour hadrons are ideal probes to investigate the properties of the hot and dense QCD matter. In Pb-Pb collisions, a strong suppression of the production of heavy-flavour hadrons with high transverse momentum has been observed.
A deeper understanding of heavy-flavour production and interaction with the QGP requires detailed studies of Cold Nuclear Matter (CNM) effects in order to clarify the role of initial- and final-state effects on their production. CNM effects include shadowing and/or saturation of partons, energy loss in CNM and k_T-broadening. Such effects on heavy quark production can be studied in proton-nucleus collisions via heavy-flavour decays electrons.
High-p_T electrons are especially interesting because they mainly originate from beauty hadrons. In this talk we will discuss the production of heavy-flavour decays electrons in p-Pb collisions at 8.16 TeV measured with ALICE.