Search for neutrinoless double beta decay of ¹¹⁶Cd and ⁸²Se and calorimeter simulations for the SuperNEMO experiment

Using the NEMO-3 detector, 410.4 g of ¹¹⁶Cd with a total exposure of 1.65 kg• y and 932 g of ⁸²Se with a total exposure of 3.75 kg• y were used to measure the half-life of two-neutrino double beta decay (2[nu][beta][beta]) to the ground states of ¹¹⁶Sn and ⁸²Kr and to place a lower limit on the neutrinoless double becay decay (0[nu][beta][beta]) to the same ground states. Under the single-states dominance hypothesis, the 2[nu][beta][beta] half-lives are found to be T 1/2(¹¹⁶Cd) = (2.90 ± 0.03(stat) ± 0.15(syst)×10¹⁹ yr and T 1/2(⁸²Se) = [10.62±0.11(stat)±0.56(syst)]×10¹⁹ yr. 0[nu][beta][beta] is excluded to 90% confidence level at T 1/2 ≥ 1.12 × 10²³ yr for ¹¹⁶Cd and T 1/2 ≥ 3.90 × 10²³ yr for ⁸²Se. These half-lives correspond to effective Majorana neutrino masses of m ≤ (4.33 - 5.54) eV and m ≤ (2.28 - 2.82) eV, respectively, in the light Majorana exchange mechanism.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

The University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Liptak, Zachary John

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lang, Karol, 1955-

• Beta decay
• Neutrinos

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/2152/24790

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/24790