Preliminary results on the search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of ¹³⁰Te with the cuoricino experiment

Journal Article · Tue Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2003 · European Physical Journal. C, Particles and Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjcd/s2003-03-905-2· OSTI ID:1407042

Nucciotti, A. ^[1]

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1. Univ. di Milano-Bicocca (Italy). Dipartimento di Fisica

The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD-0ν) is a powerful tool to establish the correct neutrino mass hierarchy and whether the neutrino is a Majorana or Dirac particle. The Milano group has run several experiments using thermal detectors to search for the ¹³⁰Te DBD-0ν. The Cuoricino experiment consists of an array of 62 TeO₂ thermal detectors for a total mass of about 40 kg, by far the largest cryogenic experiment in the world. The detector installation in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory has been recently completed. After a test phase the experiment is now taking data and we report here the preliminary results. In conclusion, Cuoricino is the first step toward the CUORE experiment, which will consists of 1000 TeO₂ thermal detectors for a total mass of about 760 kg: in this paper we discuss also the physics potential of both stages for what concerns the DBD-0ν search. PACS: 11.30.Fs Lepton number – 14.60.Pq Neutrino mass and mixing – 23.40.Bw Weak interactions in beta decay

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231; FMRX-CT98-0167
• OSTI ID: 1407042
• Journal Information: European Physical Journal. C, Particles and Fields, Vol. 33, Issue S1; ISSN 1434-6044
• Publisher: Springer
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Total Mass
Weak Interaction
Test Phase
Neutrino Mass
Beta Decay