Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Steven D. Biller
Summary: The combined bounds on the Majorana neutrino mass for light and heavy neutrino exchange mechanisms are derived from current neutrinoless double beta decay (0v beta beta) search results, showing stronger limits with less model-to-model variation. Projections indicate that future experiments can probe well into the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy region. Additionally, a method to visually represent experimental results is suggested for more transparent comparison across different isotopes and to track model dependencies.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anastasiia Zolotarova
Summary: This review covers the history and recent developments of cryogenic bolometers for neutrinoless double beta decay searches, emphasizing the importance of this technology in studying neutrino masses and nature. The focus is on enhancing instrument performance and reducing background interferences through various methods.
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alexander Barabash
Summary: This article discusses the results of experiments conducted over the past 5 years (from 2018 to April 2023) on the search for and study of double beta decay processes. The results of the search for neutrinoless double beta decay are presented, achieving a sensitivity of T-1/2 around 2x10(24)-2x10(26) years (90% C.L.). The conservative upper limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass is established as 0.16 eV (90% C.L.) from these experiments. The article also discusses experiments on recording and studying two-neutrino double beta decay processes in various nuclei (transitions to both ground and excited states of daughter nuclei), as well as the search for majoron. Possible future progress in this field is discussed.
Article
Physics, Particles & Fields
A. Jany, M. Misiaszek, T. Mroz, K. Panas, G. Zuzel, M. Wojcik, K. Brudecki, J. Jurkowski, J. W. Mietelski, R. Misiak, M. Marszalek, M. Mitura-Nowak
Summary: Experiments on searching for neutrinoless double beta decay in 76Ge are currently achieving the lowest background level and have the best discovery potential. Fabrication and characterization of a prototype detector with enhanced pulse shape discrimination have been described, and simulations have been performed to optimize geometry and crystal parameters for pulse shape analysis efficiency.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C
(2021)
Article
Physics, Particles & Fields
Francesco Nozzoli, Francesco Follega
Summary: In this work, unstable nuclei with respect to double beta decay are studied for a new approach to dark matter direct detection. The diagram responsible for neutrinoless double beta decay is considered as a possible detection technique for inelastically scattering a Majorana dark matter fermion on a double beta unstable nucleus, stimulating its decay. The exothermic nature of stimulated double beta decay enables the direct detection of light dark matter fermions, which are difficult to investigate using traditional elastic scattering techniques. The expected signal distribution for different dark matter masses and the upper limits on nucleus scattering cross sections, along with existing data for the (136)Chi e nucleus, are shown and compared.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
I. J. Arnquist, F. T. Avignone III, A. S. Barabash, C. J. Barton, P. J. Barton, K. H. Bhimani, E. Blalock, B. Bos, M. Busch, M. Buuck, T. S. Caldwell, Y-d. Chan, C. D. Christofferson, P. -h. Chu, M. L. Clark, C. Cuesta, J. A. Detwiler, Yu. Efremenko, H. Ejiri, S. R. Elliott, G. K. Giovanetti, M. P. Green, J. Gruszko, I. S. Guinn, V. E. Guiseppe, C. R. Haufe, R. Henning, D. Hervas Aguilar, E. W. Hoppe, A. Hostiuc, M. F. Kidd, I. Kim, R. T. Kouzes, A. Li, A. M. Lopez, J. M. Lopez-Castano, E. L. Martin, R. D. Martin, R. Massarczyk, S. J. Meijer, S. Mertens, T. K. Oli, G. Othman, L. S. Paudel, W. Pettus, A. W. P. Poon, D. C. Radford, A. L. Reine, K. Rielage, N. W. Ruof, D. C. Schaper, D. Tedeschi, R. L. Varner, S. Vasilyev, J. F. Wilkerson, C. Wiseman, W. Xu, C. -h. Yu, B. X. Zhu
Summary: The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR conducted a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (0 nu beta beta) in 76Ge using modular arrays of high-purity Ge detectors operated in vacuum cryostats within a low-background shield. The arrays consisted of up to 40.4 kg of detectors, with 27.2 kg enriched to approximately 88% in 76Ge. Through these measurements, the DEMONSTRATOR achieved an accumulated active exposure of 64.5 kg yr. By achieving a world-leading energy resolution of 2.52 keV FWHM at the 2039 keV Q beta beta (0.12%), we established a half-life limit for 0 nu beta beta in 76Ge at T1/2 > 8.3 x 1025 yr (90% C.L.). This result provides upper limits on m beta beta ranging from (113-269) meV (90% C.L.), depending on the choice of nuclear matrix elements.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
A. Belley, C. G. Payne, S. R. Stroberg, T. Miyagi, J. D. Holt
Summary: In this study, basis-space converged neutrinoless beta beta-decay nuclear matrix elements for the lightest candidates Ca-48, Ge-76, and Se-82 were calculated using ab initio methods. It was found that the tensor component is non-negligible in Ge-76 and Se-82, leading to nuclear matrix elements that are overall 25%-45% smaller than those obtained from the phenomenological shell model. While further developments are needed for a more accurate determination of final matrix elements with uncertainties, this work paves the way for a first-principles calculation of neutrinoless beta beta decay in all relevant nuclei for large-scale searches.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Particles & Fields
M. Agostini, G. Araujo, A. M. Bakalyarov, M. Balata, I Barabanov, L. Baudis, C. Bauer, E. Bellotti, S. Belogurov, A. Bettini, L. Bezrukov, V Biancacci, E. Bossio, V Bothe, V Brudanin, R. Brugnera, A. Caldwell, C. Cattadori, A. Chernogorov, T. Comellato, V D'Andrea, E. Demidova, N. Di Marco, E. Doroshkevich, F. Fischer, M. Fomina, A. Gangapshev, A. Garfagnini, C. Gooch, P. Grabmayr, V Gurentsov, K. Gusev, J. Hakenmueller, S. Hemmer, W. Hofmann, J. Huang, M. Hult, L. Inzhechik, J. Janicsko Csathy, J. Jochum, M. Junker, V Kazalov, Y. Kermaidic, H. Khushbakht, T. Kihm, I. Kirpichnikov, A. Klimenko, R. Kneissl, K. T. Knoepfle, O. Kochetov, V. N. Kornoukhov, P. Krause, V. V. Kuzminov, M. Laubenstein, M. Lindner, I Lippi, A. Lubashevskiy, B. Lubsandorzhiev, G. Lutter, C. Macolino, B. Majorovits, W. Maneschg, L. Manzanillas, M. Miloradovic, R. Mingazheva, M. Misiaszek, P. Moseev, Y. Mueller, I Nemchenok, L. Pandola, K. Pelczar, L. Pertoldi, P. Piseri, A. Pullia, C. Ransom, L. Rauscher, S. Riboldi, N. Rumyantseva, C. Sada, F. Salamida, S. Schoenert, J. Schreiner, M. Schuett, A-K Schuetz, O. Schulz, M. Schwarz, B. Schwingenheuer, O. Selivanenko, E. Shevchik, M. Shirchenko, L. Shtembari, H. Simgen, A. Smolnikov, D. Stukov, A. A. Vasenko, A. Veresnikova, C. Vignoli, K. von Sturm, T. Wester, C. Wiesinger, M. Wojcik, E. Yanovich, B. Zatschler, I Zhitnikov, S. Zhukov, D. Zinatulina, A. Zschocke, A. J. Zsigmond, K. Zuber, G. Zuzel
Summary: The study reports on the characterization and testing of five Ge-76 IC detectors, confirming their performance and feasibility. These IC detectors combine the large mass of traditional Ge detectors with the superior resolution and pulse shape discrimination power of point contact detectors. After 18 months of operation, it was found that IC detectors show satisfactory performance in the Gerda experiment.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
V Soukeras, F. Cappuzzello, D. Carbone, M. Cavallaro, C. Agodi, L. Acosta, I Boztosun, G. A. Brischetto, S. Calabrese, D. Calvo, E. R. Chavez Lomeli, I Ciraldo, M. Cutuli, F. Delaunay, P. Finocchiaro, M. Fisichella, A. Foti, A. Hacisalihoglu, F. Iazzi, L. La Fauci, G. Lanzalone, R. Linares, J. R. B. Oliveira, A. Pakou, L. Pandola, H. Petrascu, F. Pinna, G. Russo, O. Sgouros, S. O. Solakci, G. Souliotis, A. Spatafora, D. Torresi, S. Tudisco, A. Yildirim, V. A. B. Zagatto
Summary: The study measured the Te-130(Ne-20, O-20) Xe-130 double charge exchange reaction at very forward angles for the first time using the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer at INFN-LNS. Conducted at a beam energy of 306 MeV, the research is part of a systematic exploration driven by the NUMEN project to provide experimentally driven information about nuclear matrix elements relevant to neutrinoless double beta decay.
RESULTS IN PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Nuclear
D. A. Nesterenko, J. Ruotsalainen, M. Stryjczyk, A. Kankainen, L. Al Ayoubi, O. Beliuskina, P. Delahaye, T. Eronen, M. Flayol, Z. Ge, W. Gins, M. Hukkanen, A. Jaries, D. Kahl, D. Kumar, S. Nikas, A. Ortiz-Cortes, H. Penttilae, D. Pitman-Weymouth, A. Raggio, M. Ramalho, M. Reponen, S. Rinta-Antila, J. Romero, A. de Roubin, P. C. Srivastava, J. Suhonen, V. Virtanen, A. Zadvornaya
Summary: Neutron-rich 120-124In isotopes were studied to explore different states and excitation energies. Experimental results were compared with theoretical calculations.
Article
Physics, Particles & Fields
M. Laubenstein, B. Lehnert, S. S. Nagorny, S. Nisi
Summary: A first search for rare decays of gadolinium isotopes was conducted at Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory in Italy using an ultra-low background high-purity germanium detector. The study revealed the possibility of a resonant enhanced neutrinoless double electron capture decay in gadolinium isotope Gd-152, but its half-life limit is still far from the theoretical predictions. Additionally, other rare alpha and double beta decay modes were investigated in Gd-152, Gd-154, and Gd-160.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C
(2023)
Article
Physics, Nuclear
K. P. Santhosh, Tinu Ann Jose
Summary: Theoretical investigation on the concept of double-alpha (2 alpha) decay has been conducted using the modified generalized liquid drop model, revealing that 2 alpha emission is more probable than 8 Be emission. Predictions on half-lives for various isotopes have been made, showing promising chances for experimental investigations on 2 alpha decay in the future.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jack Dunger, Edward J. Leming, Steven D. Biller
Summary: The potential of using slow-fluor liquid scintillators to study low energy solar neutrinos and neutrinoless double beta decay (0vfifi) is explored through simulations. The results indicate better directional reconstruction in large-scale detectors, allowing for improved identification of low energy solar neutrinos. Additionally, the studies suggest that a detector with even as little as -30% coverage using currently available photomultiplier tubes could measure the CNO solar neutrino flux with a precision of better than 10% and reject solar neutrino backgrounds with a potential factor of 10 for endpoint energies near 2.5 MeV.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
W. H. Dai, H. Ma, Q. Yue, Z. She, K. J. Kang, Y. J. Li, M. Agartioglu, H. P. An, J. P. Chang, Y. H. Chen, J. P. Cheng, Z. Deng, C. H. Fang, X. P. Geng, H. Gong, Q. J. Guo, X. Y. Guo, L. He, S. M. He, J. W. Hu, H. X. Huang, T. C. Huang, H. T. Jia, X. Jiang, H. B. Li, J. M. Li, J. Li, Q. Y. Li, R. M. J. Li, X. Q. Li, Y. L. Li, Y. F. Liang, B. Liao, F. K. Lin, S. T. Lin, S. K. Liu, Y. D. Liu, Y. Liu, Y. Y. Liu, Z. Z. Liu, Y. C. Mao, Q. Y. Nie, J. H. Ning, H. Pan, N. C. Qi, J. Ren, X. C. Ruan, K. Saraswat, V Sharma, M. K. Singh, T. X. Sun, C. J. Tang, W. Y. Tang, Y. Tian, G. F. Wang, L. Wang, Q. Wang, Y. Wang, Y. X. Wang, H. T. Wong, S. Y. Wu, Y. C. Wu, H. Y. Xing, R. Xu, Y. Xu, T. Xue, Y. L. Yan, L. T. Yang, C. H. Yeh, N. Yi, C. X. Yu, H. J. Yu, J. F. Yue, M. Zeng, Z. Zeng, B. T. Zhang, F. S. Zhang, L. Zhang, Z. H. Zhang, Z. Y. Zhang, K. K. Zhao, M. G. Zhao, J. F. Zhou, Z. Y. Zhou, J. J. Zhu
Summary: A feasibility study of the next generation experiment for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of Ge-76 was conducted using a natural broad energy germanium detector in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The study achieved a background index of 6.4 x 10(-3) counts/(keV kg day), which is 1.86 times lower than previous results. No signal was observed with an exposure of 186.4 kg day, leading to a limit on the half life of Ge-76 0 nu beta beta decay.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Manuel Ettengruber, Matteo Agostini, Allen Caldwell, Philipp Eller, Oliver Schulz
Summary: We evaluate the discovery probability of proposed neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments in a scenario with normal ordered neutrino masses. The probability strongly depends on the value of the lightest neutrino mass and can reach 80-90% for values just below the current constraints. The availability of data from different isotopes can partially compensate uncertainties in nuclear matrix element calculations.
