M\"ossbauer Antineutrinos: Recoilless Resonant Emission and Absorption of Electron Antineutrinos

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of recoilless resonant emission and absorption of monoenergetic electron antineutrinos (Mössbauer antineutrinos), highlighting challenges in the 3H-3He system and proposing the 163Ho-163Dy system as a promising alternative for neutrino physics research.

Contribution

It analyzes phononless resonant capture of Mössbauer antineutrinos and suggests the 163Ho-163Dy system as a viable candidate for future experiments.

Findings

Lattice effects significantly reduce phononless transition probability in 3H-3He.

Solid-state effects cause large line broadening, hindering resonance.

The 163Ho-163Dy system is identified as a promising alternative for Mössbauer antineutrino experiments.

Abstract

Basic questions concerning phononless resonant capture of monoenergetic electron antineutrinos (M\"ossbauer antineutrinos) emitted in bound-state beta-decay in the 3H - 3He system are discussed. It is shown that lattice expansion and contraction after the transformation of the nucleus will drastically reduce the probability of phononless transitions and that various solid-state effects will cause large line broadening. As a possible alternative, the rare-earth system 163Ho - 163Dy is favoured. M\"ossbauer-antineutrino experiments could be used to gain new and deep insights into several basic problems in neutrino physics.