Search for double-beta decay of $$$$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$$$ to the $$0^+$$ states of $$$$\mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$$$ with CUORE

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · European Physical Journal. C, Particles and Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09317-z· OSTI ID:1804918

Adams, D. Q.; Alduino, C.; Alfonso, K.; Avignone, F. T. III; Azzolini, O.; Bari, G.; Bellini, F.; Benato, G.; Biassoni, M.; Branca, A.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Camilleri, J.; Caminata, A.; Campani, A.; Canonica, L.; Cao, X. G.; Capelli, S.; Cappelli, L.; Cardani, L. ; Carniti, P.; Casali, N.; Celi, E.; Chiesa, D.; Clemenza, M.; Copello, S.; Cosmelli, C.; Cremonesi, O.; Creswick, R. J.; D’Addabbo, A.; Dafinei, I.; Davis, C. J.; Dell’Oro, S.; Domizio, S. Di; Dompè, V.; Fang, D. Q.; Fantini, G.; Faverzani, M.; Ferri, E.; Ferroni, F.; Fiorini, E.; Franceschi, M. A.; Freedman, S. J.; Fu, S. H.; Fujikawa, B. K.; Giachero, A.; Gironi, L.; Giuliani, A.; Gorla, P.; Gotti, C.; Gutierrez, T. D.; Han, K.; Heeger, K. M.; Huang, R. G.; Huang, H. Z.; Johnston, J.; Keppel, G.; Kolomensky, Yu. G.; Ligi, C.; Ma, L.; Ma, Y. G.; Marini, L.; Maruyama, R. H.; Mayer, D.; Mei, Y.; Moggi, N.; Morganti, S.; Napolitano, T.; Nastasi, M.; Nikkel, J.; Nones, C.; Norman, E. B.; Nucciotti, A.; Nutini, I.; O’Donnell, T.; Ouellet, J. L.; Pagan, S.; Pagliarone, C. E.; Pagnanini, L.; Pallavicini, M.; Pattavina, L.; Pavan, M.; Pessina, G.; Pettinacci, V.; Pira, C.; Pirro, S.; Pozzi, S.; Previtali, E.; Puiu, A.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rusconi, C.; Sakai, M.; Sangiorgio, S.; Schmidt, B.; Scielzo, N. D.; Sharma, V.; Singh, V.; Sisti, M.; Speller, D.; Surukuchi, P. T.; Taffarello, L.; Terranova, F.; Tomei, C.; Vetter, K. J.; Vignati, M.; Wagaarachchi, S. L.; Wang, B. S.; Welliver, B.; Wilson, J.; Wilson, K.; Winslow, L. A.; Zimmermann, S.; Zucchelli, S.

Abstract

The CUORE experiment is a large bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrino-less double beta decay ( $$$$0\nu \beta \beta $$$$ $0\nu \beta \beta$ ) in the isotope $$$$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$$$ ${}^{130}\mathrm{Te}$ . In this work we present the latest results on two searches for the double beta decay (DBD) of $$$$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$$$ ${}^{130}\mathrm{Te}$ to the first $$$$0^{+}_2$$$$ $0_2^{+}$ excited state of $$$$\mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$$$ ${}^{130}\mathrm{Xe}$ : the $$$$0\nu \beta \beta $$$$ $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay and the Standard Model-allowed two-neutrinos double beta decay ( $$$$2\nu \beta \beta $$$$ $2\nu \beta \beta$ ). Both searches are based on a 372.5 kg $$$$\times $$$$ $\times$ yr TeO $$$$_2$$$$ ${}_2$ exposure. The de-excitation gamma rays emitted by the excited Xe nucleus in the final state yield a unique signature, which can be searched for with low background by studying coincident events in two or more bolometers. The closely packed arrangement of the CUORE crystals constitutes a significant advantage in this regard. The median limit setting sensitivities at 90% Credible Interval (C.I.) of the given searches were estimated as $$$$\mathrm {S^{0\nu }_{1/2} = 5.6 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$$$ $S_{1/2}^{0\nu }=5.6\times {10}^{24}\mathrm{yr}$ for the $$$${0\nu \beta \beta }$$$$ $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay and $$$$\mathrm {S^{2\nu }_{1/2} = 2.1 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$$$ $S_{1/2}^{2\nu }=2.1\times {10}^{24}\mathrm{yr}$ for the $$$${2\nu \beta \beta }$$$$ $2\nu \beta \beta$ decay. No significant evidence for either of the decay modes was observed and a Bayesian lower bound at $$$$90\%$$$$ $90\%$ C.I. on the decay half lives is obtained as: $$$$\mathrm {(T_{1/2})^{0\nu }_{0^+_2} > 5.9 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$$$ ${\left(T_{1/2}\right)}_{0_2^{+}}^{0\nu }>5.9\times {10}^{24}\mathrm{yr}$ for the $$$$0\nu \beta \beta $$$$ $0\nu \beta \beta$ mode and $$$$\mathrm {(T_{1/2})^{2\nu }_{0^+_2} > 1.3 \times 10^{24} \, \mathrm {yr}}$$$$ ${\left(T_{1/2}\right)}_{0_2^{+}}^{2\nu }>1.3\times {10}^{24}\mathrm{yr}$ for the $$$$2\nu \beta \beta $$$$ $2\nu \beta \beta$ mode. These represent the most stringent limits on the DBD of $$$$^{130}$$$$ ${}^{130}$ Te to excited states and improve by a factor $$$$\sim 5$$$$ $\sim 5$ the previous results on this process.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
• Contributing Organization: The CUORE Collaboration
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231; AC52-07NA27344; FG02-08ER41551; FG03-00ER41138; SC0012654
• OSTI ID: 1804918
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1810086; OSTI ID: 1766547; OSTI ID: 23086098
• Journal Information: European Physical Journal. C, Particles and Fields, Journal Name: European Physical Journal. C, Particles and Fields Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 81; ISSN 1434-6044
• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media
• Country of Publication: Germany
• Language: English

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