Effective Majorana mass and neutrinoless double beta decay

The probability distribution for the effective Majorana mass as a function of the lightest neutrino mass in the standard three neutrino scheme is computed via a random sampling from the distributions of the involved mixing angles and squared mass differences. A flat distribution in the \([0,2\pi ]\) range for the Majorana phases is assumed, and the dependence of small values of the effective mass on the Majorana phases is highlighted. The study is then extended with the addition of the cosmological bound on the sum of the neutrino masses. Finally, the prospects for \(0\nu \beta \beta \) decay search with \(^{76}\)Ge, \(^{130}\)Te and \(^{136}\)Xe are discussed, as well as those for the measurement of the electron neutrino mass.     

Nuclear structure relevant to neutrinoless double beta decay: 76Ge and 76Se

The possibility of observing neutrinoless double beta decay offers the opportunity of determining the effective neutrino mass if the nuclear matrix element were known. Theoretical calculations are uncertain, and measurements of the occupations of valence orbits by nucleons active in the decay can be important. The occupation of valence neutron orbits in the ground states of 76Ge (a candidate for such decay) and 76Se (the daughter nucleus) were determined by precisely measuring cross sections for both neutron-adding and removing transfer reactions. Our results indicate that the Fermi surface is much more diffuse than in theoretical calculations. We find that the populations of at least three orbits change significantly between these two ground states while in the calculations, the changes are confined primarily to one orbit.     

First results on ~(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay from CDEX-1 experiment

We report the first results on ~(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay from stage one of the China dark-matter experiment(CDEX).A p-type point-contact high-purity germanium detector with a mass of 994 g has been installed to detect neutrinoless double beta decay events, as well as to directly detect dark matter particles. An exposure of 304 kg d has been analyzed over a wide spectral band from 500 keV to 3 MeV. The average event rate obtained was about 0.012 counts per keV per kg per day over the 2.039 MeV energy range. The half-life of ~(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay derived based on this result is T~(0ν)1/26.4×10~(22) yr(90% C.L.). An upper limit on the effective Majorana-neutrino mass of 5.0 eV has been achieved.     

Project for detecting the double beta decay of136Xe

For detecting the nuclear double beta decay of¹³⁶Xe, a liquid-xenon positive-ion collector and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer are under development for detecting the decay product¹³⁶Ba. Two sets of lasers are used with the mass spectrometer. An Nd-YAG laser is used for sampling¹³⁶Ba from the surface of the positive-ion collector electrode, and a dye laser pumped by an Nd-YAG laser is used for the selective ionization of¹³⁶Ba. The principle of measurements as well as the experimental apparatus and procedures are described in detail, together with our future plans.     

Influence of pairing in double beta decay of <Superscript>48</Superscript>Ca

Two-neutrino ββ decay matrix elements and half-life of ⁴⁸Ca are calculated after including neutron-proton pairing correlations in projected Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (PHFB) formalism. The GT matrix elements in 2νββ decay are reduced due to broader smearing of Fermi surfaces. Half-life results for 2νββ decay of 48Ca with np pairing are better than without pairing.     

Thermal neutron capture cross-section of <Superscript>76</Superscript>Ge

The thermal neutron capture cross-sections of the ⁷⁶Ge(n,)⁷⁷Ge and the ⁷⁶Ge(n,)^77m Ge reactions have been measured by activating targets of isotopically enriched GeO₂ through cold neutrons. The -decay spectra after the -decay of ⁷⁷Ge and ^77m Ge were measured with HPGe detectors. From these spectra the cross-sections for the ⁷⁶Ge(n,) reactions were derived relative to the cross-section of ¹⁹⁷Au using the absolute emission probabilities of the observed -ray energies. The methods used in this work result in smaller systematic uncertainties than those obtained in previous experiments.     

Nuclear structure of <Superscript>76</Superscript>Ge from proton-neutron interacting boson model calculations

The properties of low-lying states in ⁷⁶Ge, especially the characteristics of the mixed-symmetry states, have been investigated within the neutron-proton interacting boson model (IBM-2). By considering the relative energy of d proton boson to be different from that of neutron boson, the low-lying positive parity levels and M1, E2 transition strengths have been calculated. The IBM-2 calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Particularly, the mixed-symmetry states have been reproduced quite well. The calculation and systematic analysis demonstrated that the collective character of ⁷⁶Ge lies closest to the SU*_πv(3), with some possible O_πv(6) dynamic symmetry in IBM-2 viewpoint.     

Calculation of double beta decay rates and the neutrino mass

Predictions for 2v and 0v double beta decay rates are given for all nuclei with A ⩾ 70, for which double beta decay is energetically allowed. These predictions are based on detailed nuclear structure studies of the beta strength distribution and replace earlier estimates basing mostly on phase space considerations. New and more stringent limits on the Majorana neutrino mass are deduced from existing double beta decay experiments. Since the collective effects arising from spin-isospin as well as quadrupole-quadrupole forces are found to lead to a strong reduction of the nuclear matrix elements for two-neutrino double beta decay, but to have only minor influence on the matrix elements M^0v for the neutrinoless decay mode, the smaller limits for m_v result mainly from the fact that the widely used scaling procedure underestimates the 0_v matrix elements. It is further discussed to what extent interference between different neutrinos affects the obtained mass limits.     

Majorana neutrinos, <Emphasis Type="Italic">CP</Emphasis> violation,neutrinoless double beta and tritium beta decays

If the present or upcoming searches for neutrinoless double beta ((ββ)_0ν) decay give a positive result, the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos will be established. From the determination of the value of the (ββ)_0ν-decay effective Majorana mass parameter (|〈m〉|), it would be possible to obtain information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum. Assuming 3-ν mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we discuss the information that a measurement of, or an upper bound on, |〈m〉| can provide on the value of the lightest neutrino mass m₁. With additional data on the neutrino masses obtained in ³H β-decay experiments, it might be possible to establish whether the CP symmetry is violated in the lepton sector. This would require very high precision measurements. If CP invariance holds, the allowed patterns of the relative CP parities of the massive Majorana neutrinos would be determined.     

Search for double beta decay of <Superscript>106</Superscript>Cd in the TGV-2 experiment

An investigation of double beta decay (β⁺β⁺, β⁺/EC, EC/EC) of ¹⁰⁶Cd was performed at the Modane underground laboratory (at a water equivalent depth of 4800 m) using a TGV-2 spectrometer with 32 detectors. Evaluation of the experimental data accumulated over 12 400 h of measuring ～13.6 g of ¹⁰⁶Cd with an enrichment of 75% was performed. New limits (at a confidence level of 90%) on the half-lives of the 0νEC/EC resonant decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the 2741 keV excited state of ¹⁰⁶Pd ? T _1/2 ≥ 1.5 × 10²⁰ y and on 2νEC/EC decay to the ground state of ¹⁰⁶Pd (0⁺ → 0⁺, g.s.) ? T _1/2 ≥ 3.9 × 10²⁰ y were obtained. The limits of the 2νEC/EC decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the 2⁺, 512 keV and 0 ₁ ⁺ , 1334 keV excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd and 2νβ⁺β⁺- and the 2νβ⁺ EC decays of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the ground and excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd were improved.     

Panda X-III: Searching for neutrinoless double beta decay with high pressure ~(136)Xe gas time projection chambers

Searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay(NLDBD)is now regarded as the topmost promising technique to explore the nature of neutrinos after the discovery of neutrino masses in oscillation experiments.Panda X-III(particle and astrophysical xenon experiment III)will search for the NLDBD of136Xe at the China Jin Ping Underground Laboratory(CJPL).In the first phase of the experiment,a high pressure gas Time Projection Chamber(TPC)will contain 200 kg,90%136Xe enriched gas operated at10 bar.Fine pitch micro-pattern gas detector(Microbulk Micromegas)will be used at both ends of the TPC for the charge readout with a cathode in the middle.Charge signals can be used to reconstruct the electron tracks of the NLDBD events and provide good energy and spatial resolution.The detector will be immersed in a large water tank to ensure～5 m of water shielding in all directions.The second phase,a ton-scale experiment,will consist of five TPCs in the same water tank,with improved energy resolution and better control over backgrounds.     

Beta decay of <Superscript>115</Superscript>In to the first excited level of <Superscript>115</Superscript>Sn: Potential outcome for neutrino mass

Recent observation of β decay of ¹¹⁵In to the first excited level of ¹¹⁵Sn with an extremely low Q _β value (Q _β ≤ O(1) [keV]) could be used to set a limit on neutrino mass. To give a restriction potentially competitive with those extracted from experiments with ³H (≃2 eV) and ¹⁸⁷Re (≃15 eV), the atomic mass difference between ¹¹⁵In and ¹¹⁵Sn and energy of the first ¹¹⁵Sn level should be remeasured with higher accuracy (possibly of the order of ∼1 eV). The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Neutrinoless double beta decay with small and hierarchical neutrino mass

We construct a model where neutrino Majorana masses are small and hierarchical but where neutrinoless double beta decay occurs at an observable rate potentially detectable by present day experiments.     

Search for the double-beta decay of <Superscript>130</Superscript>Te to excited states in <Superscript>130</Superscript>Xe

Experimental limits on the half-lives with respect to the (0ν+2ν) double-beta decay of ¹³⁰Te to excited states in ¹³⁰Xe are obtained by using low-background HPGe detectors. At a 90% C.L., they are 1.6×10²¹, 2.7×10²¹, and 2.3×10²¹ yr for transitions to the 2 ₁ ⁺ , 2 ₂ ⁺ , and 0 ₁ ⁺ levels, respectively.