Spin dependent fragmentation functions for heavy flavor baryons and single heavy hyperon polarization

Spin dependent fragmentation functions for heavy flavor quarks to fragment into heavy baryons are carculated in a quark-diquark model. The production of intermediate spin 1/2 and 3/2 excited states is explicity included. Λ _b , Λ_c and Ξ _c production rate and polarization at LEP energies are calculated and, where possible, compared with experiment. A different approach, also relying on a heavy quark-diquark model, is proposed for the small momentum transfer inclusive production of polarized heavy flavor hyperons. The predicted Λ_c polarization is roughly in agreement with experiment.