No Arabic abstract
CUPID-0 is the first pilot experiment of CUPID, a next-generation project searching for neutrino-less double beta decay. In its first scientific run, CUPID-0 operated 26 ZnSe cryogenic calorimeters coupled to light detectors in the underground Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. In this work, we analyzed a ZnSe exposure of 11.34 kg$times$yr to search for the neutrino-less double beta decay of $^{70}$Zn and for the neutrino-less positron-emitting electron capture of $^{64}$Zn. We found no evidence for these decays and set 90$%$ credible interval limits of ${rm T}_{1/2}^{0 ubetabeta}(^{70}{rm Zn}) > 1.6 times 10^{21}$ yr and ${rm T}_{1/2}^{0 u EC beta+}(^{64}{rm Zn}) > 1.2 times 10^{22}$ yr, surpassing by almost two orders of magnitude the previous experimental results
We report the result of the search for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{82}$Se obtained with CUPID-0, the first large array of scintillating Zn$^{82}$Se cryogenic calorimeters implementing particle identification. We observe no signal in a 1.83 kg yr $^{82}$Se exposure and we set the most stringent lower limit on the onu $^{82}$Se half-life T$^{0 u}_{1/2}>$ 2.4$times mathrm{10}^{24}$ yr (90% credible interval), which corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass m$_{betabeta} <$ (376-770) meV depending on the nuclear matrix element calculations. The heat-light readout provides a powerful tool for the rejection of al particles and allows to suppress the background in the region of interest down to (3.6$^{+1.9}_{-1.4}$)$times$10$^{-3}$ckky, an unprecedented level for this technique.
The production of ultra-pure raw material is a crucial step to ensure the required background level in rare event searches. In this work, we establish an innovative technique developed to produce high-purity (99.999%) granular zinc. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the refining procedure by measuring the internal contaminations of the purified zinc with a high-purity germanium detector at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. The total activity of cosmogenic activated nuclides is measured at the level of a few mBq/kg, as well as limits on naturally occurring radionuclides are set to less than mBq/kg. The excellent radiopurity of the zinc sample allows us to search for electron capture with positron emission and neutrinoless double electron capture of $^{64}$Zn, setting the currently most stringent lower limits on their half-lives, $T_{1/2}^{varepsilonbeta^+} > 2.7 times 10^{21}text{yr}$ (90% C.I.), and $T_{1/2}^{0 u2varepsilon}> 2.6 times 10^{21}text{yr}$ (90% C.I.), respectively.
The MJ Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in $^{76}$Ge. The MJ DEM comprises 44.1~kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in $^{76}$Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Here we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at qval and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 10 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of $1.9times10^{25}$ yr (90% CL). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240 to 520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is $4.0_{-2.5}^{+3.1}$ counts/(FWHM t yr).
A convincing observation of neutrino-less double beta decay (0$ u$DBD) relies on the possibility of operating high energy-resolution detectors in background-free conditions. Scintillating cryogenic calorimeters are one of the most promising tools to fulfill the requirements for a next-generation experiment. Several steps have been taken to demonstrate the maturity of this technique, starting from the successful experience of CUPID-0. The CUPID-0 experiment demonstrated the complete rejection of the dominant alpha background measuring the lowest counting rate in the region of interest for this technique. Furthermore, the most stringent limit on the $^{82}$Se 0$ u$DBD was established running 26 ZnSe crystals during two years of continuous detector operation. In this contribution we present the final results of CUPID-0 Phase I including a detailed model of the background, the measurement of the $^{82}$Se 2$ u$DBD half-life and the evidence that this nuclear transition is single state dominated.
The Gerda experiment designed to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay in 76Ge has successfully completed the first data collection. No signal excess is found, and a lower limit on the half life of the process is set, with T1/2 > 2.1x10^25 yr (90% CL). After a review of the experimental setup and of the main Phase I results, the hardware upgrade for Gerda Phase II is described, and the physics reach of the new data collection is reported.