Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay with the Upgraded EXO-200 Detector

TL;DR

This paper reports on an improved search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in xenon-136 using the upgraded EXO-200 detector, achieving better sensitivity and background discrimination but finding no evidence of decay.

Contribution

The paper introduces hardware and analysis improvements to the EXO-200 detector, significantly enhancing its sensitivity to neutrinoless double-beta decay.

Findings

No statistically significant decay observed

Half-life lower limit set at 1.8×10^{25} years

Sensitivity increased twofold to 3.7×10^{25} years

Abstract

Results from a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay $0\nu\beta\beta$ of $^{136}$Xe are presented using the first year of data taken with the upgraded EXO-200 detector. Relative to previous searches by EXO-200, the energy resolution of the detector has been improved to $\sigma/E$=1.23%, the electric field in the drift region has been raised by 50%, and a system to suppress radon in the volume between the cryostat and lead shielding has been implemented. In addition, analysis techniques that improve topological discrimination between $0\nu\beta\beta$ and background events have been developed. Incorporating these hardware and analysis improvements, the median 90% confidence level $0\nu\beta\beta$ half-life sensitivity after combining with the full data set acquired before the upgrade has increased 2-fold to $3.7 \times 10^{25}$ yr. No statistically significant evidence for $0\nu\beta\beta$ is observed, leading to a lower limit on the $0\nu\beta\beta$ half-life of $1.8\times10^{25}$ yr at the 90% confidence level.