Louisiana State University Physics & Astronomy

"In search of neutrinoless double beta decay"

Kai Zuber
University of Sussex

Double beta decay is a very rare process in nature characterised by changing the ordering number Z of nuclei by two units and leaving the mass number A constant. It can basically occur in two modes, with the emission of two electrons and two anti-neutrinos or the emission of two electrons only. While the first mode is expected within the current Standard Model of particle physics, the neutrinoless double beta decay of nuclei is not allowed and is of outstanding importance for neutrino physics. It can only occur if neutrinos are their own antiparticles and if they are massive. Especially for the first property neutrinoless double beta decay is considered a gold-plated process. However, due to the known smallness of the neutrino mass, the process is very rare and its detection reqquires special low radioactive background environments. After a general introduction into double beta decay, the focus is on the current experimental searches and results and their implications for particle physics. An outlook towards future projects and the involved challenges is given, including a short discussion of nuclear matrix elements.

Updated: Wed, 30-Jan-2008 2:05 PM