Investigation of double beta decay with the NEMO-3 detector

TL;DR

The NEMO-3 experiment searched for neutrinoless double beta decay across seven isotopes, setting new half-life limits and precisely measuring two-neutrino decay half-lives, advancing understanding of neutrino properties.

Contribution

This study provides new half-life limits for neutrinoless double beta decay and precise measurements of two-neutrino decay half-lives across multiple isotopes, using extensive data from the NEMO-3 detector.

Findings

No evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay was observed.

New lower limits on half-lives for neutrinoless decay in several isotopes.

Precise measurements of two-neutrino double beta decay half-lives.

Abstract

The double beta decay experiment NEMO~3 has been taking data since February 2003. The aim of this experiment is to search for neutrinoless ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay and investigate two neutrino double beta decay in seven different isotopically enriched samples ($^{100}$Mo, $^{82}$Se, $^{48}$Ca, $^{96}$Zr, $^{116}$Cd, $^{130}$Te and $^{150}$Nd). After analysis of the data corresponding to 3.75 y, no evidence for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in the $^{100}$Mo and $^{82}$Se samples was found. The half-life limits at the 90% C.L. are $1.1\cdot 10^{24}$ y and $3.6\cdot 10^{23}$ y, respectively. Additionally for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay the following limits at the 90% C.L. were obtained, $> 1.3 \cdot 10^{22}$ y for $^{48}$Ca, $> 9.2 \cdot 10^{21}$ y for $^{96}$Zr and $> 1.8 \cdot 10^{22}$ y for $^{150}$Nd. The $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay half-life values were precisely measured for all investigated isotopes.