CALDER - Neutrinoless double-beta decay identification in TeO$_2$ bolometers with kinetic inductance detectors

TL;DR

The paper discusses the development of kinetic inductance detectors integrated with TeO$_2$ bolometers to enhance detection of Cherenkov light, aiming to improve background discrimination in neutrinoless double-beta decay searches.

Contribution

It introduces a novel light detection approach using kinetic inductance detectors coupled with TeO$_2$ bolometers for neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments.

Findings

Prototype development of kinetic inductance detectors for light measurement.

Potential for improved background discrimination in decay detection.

Enhanced sensitivity to Cherenkov light in TeO$_2$ bolometers.

Abstract

Next-generation experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay must be sensitive to a Majorana neutrino mass as low as 10 meV. CUORE, an array of 988 TeO$_2$ bolometers being commissioned at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy, features an expected sensitivity of 50-130 meV at 90% C.L, that can be improved by removing the background from $\alpha$ radioactivity. This is possible if, in coincidence with the heat release in a bolometer, the Cherenkov light emitted by the $\beta$ signal is detected. The amount of light detected is so far limited to only 100 eV, requiring low-noise cryogenic light detectors. The CALDER project (Cryogenic wide-Area Light Detectors with Excellent Resolution) aims at developing a small prototype experiment consisting of TeO$_2$ bolometers coupled to new light detectors based on kinetic inductance detectors. The R&D is focused on the light detectors that could be implemented in a next-generation neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment.