Direct determination of the atomic mass difference of the pairs As 76 − Se 76 and Tb 155 − Gd 155 rules out As 76 and Tb 155 as possible candidates for electron (anti)neutrino mass measurements

Direct measurement of the mass difference of $^{72}$As-$^{72}$Ge rules out $^{72}$As as a promising $\beta$-decay candidate to determine the neutrino mass

We report the first direct determination of the ground-state to ground-state electron-capture $Q$-value for the $^{72}$As to $^{72}$Ge decay by measuring their atomic mass difference utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The $Q$-value was measured to be 4343.596(75)~keV, which is more than a 50-fold improvement in precision compared to the value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Furthermore, the new $Q$-value was found to be 12.4(40)~keV (3.1 $\sigma$) lower. With the significant reduction of the uncertainty of the ground-state to ground-state $Q$-value value combined with the level scheme of $^{72}$Ge from $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy, we confirm that th…

Precise measurement of 2νββ decay of 100Mo with the CUPID-Mo detection technology

We report the measurement of the two-neutrino double-beta (2 νββ) decay of 100Mo to the ground state of 100Ru using lithium molybdate (Li2100MoO4) scintillating bolometers. The detectors were developed for the CUPID-Mo program and operated at the EDELWEISS-III low background facility in the Modane underground laboratory (France). From a total exposure of 42.235 kg× day, the half-life of 100Mo is determined to be T1/22ν=[7.12-0.14+0.18(stat.)±0.10(syst.)]×1018 years. This is the most accurate determination of the 2 νββ half-life of 100Mo to date.

Single Particle Levels and ββ-Decay Matrix Elements in The Interacting Boson Model

Recently a new method to calculate the occupancies of single particle levels in atomic nuclei was developed in the context of the microscopic interacting boson model, in which neutron and proton degrees of freedom are treated explicitly (IBM-2). The energies of the single particle levels constitute a very important input for the calculation of the occupancies in this method, and further they play important role in the calculation of double beta decay nuclear matrix elements. Here we discuss how the 0νββ, 0νhββ, and 2νββ-decay nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) are affected when the energies of single particle levels are changed. peerReviewed

The NUMEN project @ LNS: Status and perspectives

The NUMEN project aims at accessing experimentally driven information on Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), by high-accuracy measurements of Heavy Ion (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reaction cross sections. In particular, the (18O,18Ne) and (20Ne,20O) reactions are used as tools for β+β+ and β−β− decays, respectively. In the experiments, performed at INFN - Laboratory Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania, the beams are accelerated by the Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) and the reaction ejectiles are detected the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer. The measured cross sections are challengingly low (a few nb), being the tota…

Microscopic calculation of the $\beta^-$ decays of $^{151}$Sm, $^{171}$Tm, and $^{210}$Pb with implications to detection of the cosmic neutrino background

The electron spectral shapes corresponding to the low-$Q$ $\beta^-$-decay transitions $^{151}$Sm$(5/2^-_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{151}\textrm{Eu}(5/2^+_{\rm g.s.})$, $^{151}$Sm$(5/2^-_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{151}\textrm{Eu}(7/2^+_{1})$, $^{171}$Tm$(1/2^+_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{171}\textrm{Yb}(1/2^-_{\rm g.s.})$, $^{171}$Tm$(1/2^+_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{171}\textrm{Yb}(3/2^-_{1})$, $^{210}\textrm{Pb}(0^+_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{210}\textrm{Bi}(1^-_{\rm g.s.})$, and $^{210}\textrm{Pb}(0^+_{\rm g.s.})\to\,^{210}\textrm{Bi}(0^-_{1})$ have been computed using beta-decay theory with several refinements for these first-forbidden nonunique (ff-nu) $\beta^-$ transitions. These ff-nu $\beta^-$ transitions have non-trivial electro…

High-precision electron-capture Q value measurement of 111In for electron-neutrino mass determination

A precise determination of the ground state $^{111}$In ($9/2^+$) electron capture to ground state of $^{111}$Cd ($1/2^+$) $Q$ value has been performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. A value of 857.63(17) keV was obtained, which is nearly a factor of 20 more precise than the value extracted from the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 (AME2020). The high-precision electron-capture $Q$ value measurement along with the nuclear energy level data of 866.60(6) keV, 864.8(3) keV, 855.6(10) keV, and 853.94(7) keV for $^{111}$Cd was used to determine whether the four states are energetically allowed for a potential ultra-low $Q$-value $\beta^{}$ decay or electron-capture deca…

High-precision measurement of a low Q value for allowed β−-decay of 131I related to neutrino mass determination

The ground-state-to-ground-state β−-decay 131I (7/2+) → 131Xe (3/2+) Q value was determined with high precision utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP at the IGISOL facility. The Q value of this β−-decay was found to be Q = 972.25(19) keV through a cyclotron frequency ratio measurement with a relative precision of 1.6 × 10−9. This was realized using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The new Q value is more than 3 times more precise and 2.3σ higher (1.45 keV) than the value extracted from the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Our measurement confirms that the β−-decay to the 9/2+ excited state at 971.22(13) keV in 131Xe is energetically allowed with a Q va…

Two-neutrino ββ decay of 136Xe to the first excited 0+ state in 136Ba

We calculate the nuclear matrix element for the two-neutrino $\beta\beta$ decay of $^{136}$Xe into the first excited $0^+$ state of $^{136}$Ba. We use different many-body methods: the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) framework, the nuclear shell model, the interacting boson model (IBM-2), and an effective field theory (EFT) for $\beta$ and $\beta\beta$ decays. While the QRPA suggests a decay rate at the edge of current experimental limits, the shell model points to a half-life about two orders of magnitude longer. The predictions of the IBM-2 and the EFT lie in between, and the latter provides systematic uncertainties at leading order. An analysis of the running sum of the nu…

Limits on sterile neutrino contributions to neutrinoless double beta decay

Nuclear matrix elements (NME) for exchange of arbitrary mass neutrinos are calculated in the interacting boson model (IBM-2). By combining the NME with the phase space factors (PSF), expected half-lives for neutrinos of mass ${m}_{N}$ and coupling ${U}_{eN}$ are estimated. Limits on sterile neutrinos with masses in the eV, keV, MeV-GeV, and TeV range are given.

0νββand2νββnuclear matrix elements in the interacting boson model with isospin restoration

We introduce a method for isospin restoration in the calculation of nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) for $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $2\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay within the framework of the microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2). With this method, we calculate the NMEs for all processes of interest in $0\ensuremath{\nu}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and $2\ensuremath{\nu}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and in $0\ensuremath{\nu}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$, $0\ensuremath{\nu}\mathrm{EC}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$, $R0\…

Recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for 0νββ decay

An updated overview of recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay is reported in the framework of the NUMEN project. The NUMEN idea is to study heavy-ion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions with the aim to get information on the nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. Moreover, to infer the neutrino average masses from the possible measurement of the half- life of 0νββ decay, the knowledge of the nuclear matrix elements is a crucial aspect. peerReviewed

Observation of an ultralow- Q -value electron-capture channel decaying to As75 via a high-precision mass measurement

Description of the two-neutrino ββ decay of100Mo by pnMAVA

The microscopic anharmonic vibrator approach (MAVA) is a scheme where the one- and two-phonon states of an even–even nucleus are treated consistently by using a realistic microscopic nuclear Hamiltonian. This model has recently been extended to describe odd–odd nuclei by adding proton–neutron phonons in a scheme called the proton–neutron MAVA (pnMAVA). In this paper, we apply pnMAVA to compute the nuclear matrix elements corresponding to the two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decay of 100Mo to the ground state and the first excited 0+ state of 100Ru in a realistic single-particle space. We also compute the GT− and GT+ Gamow–Teller strength functions and compare them with the plain pnQRPA (prot…

Observation of an ultralow-Q-value electron-capture channel decaying to 75As via a high-precision mass measurement

A precise determination of the atomic mass of 75As has been performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The mass excess is measured to be −73035.519(42)keV/c2, which is a factor of 21 more precise and 1.3(9)keV/c2 lower than the adopted value in the newest Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020). This value has been used to determine the ground-state–to–ground-state electron-capture decay Q value of 75Se and β− decay Q value of 75Ge, which are derived to be 866.041(81) keV and 1178.561(65) keV, respectively. Using the nuclear energy-level data of 860.00(40) keV, 865.40(50) keV (final states of electron capture), and 1172.00(60) keV (final state of β− decay) for the exc…

Microscopic calculation of the electric decay properties of low-energy vibrational states in even110−120Cdisotopes

Low-lying collective states inRu98–106isotopes studied using a microscopic anharmonic vibrator approach

Anharmonic features of the low-lying collective states in the $^{98--106}\mathrm{Ru}$ isotopes have been investigated systematically by using the microscopic anharmonic vibrator approach (MAVA). MAVA is based on a realistic microscopic $G$-matrix Hamiltonian, only slightly renormalized in the adopted large realistic single-particle spaces. This Hamiltonian is used to derive equations of motion for the mixing of one- and two-phonon degrees of freedom starting from collective phonons of the quasiparticle random-phase approximation. Analysis of the level energies and the electric quadrupole decays of the two-phonon type of states indicates that $^{100}\mathrm{Ru}$ can be interpreted as being a…

$\beta$-decay rates of $^{(115,117)}$Rh into $^{(115,117)}$Pd isotopes in the microscopic IBFM-2

The structure of odd-$A$ $^{(115,117)}$Rh and $^{(115,117)}$Pd isotopes is studied by means of the neutron-proton Interacting Boson-Fermion Model (IBFM-2). $J^P = \frac{1}{2}^+$ quantum number assignment for the $^{(115,117)}$Pd ground-states is critically discussed and the predicted energy levels are compared to the existing experimental data. The resulting nuclear wave functions are used to compute the $\beta$-decay $ft$ values of the transitions from $^{(115,117)}$Rh to $^{(115,117)}$Pd in the microscopic IBFM-2 and the results compared with the data.

Recent results on heavy-ion direct reactions of interest for 0νββ decay at INFN - LNS

Abstract Neutrinoless double beta decay of nuclei, if observed, would have important implications on fundamental physics. In particular it would give access to the effective neutrino mass. In order to extract such information from 0νββ decay half-life measurements, the knowledge of the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) is of utmost importance. In this context the NUMEN and the NURE projects aim to extract information on the NME by measuring cross sections of Double Charge Exchange reactions in selected systems which are expected to spontaneously decay via 0νββ. In this work an overview of the experimental challenges that NUMEN is facing in order to perform the experiments with accelerated beams…

Evidence of Single State Dominance in the Two-Neutrino Double-β Decay of ^{82}Se with CUPID-0.

We report on the measurement of the two-neutrino double-β decay of ^{82}Se performed for the first time with cryogenic calorimeters, in the framework of the CUPID-0 experiment. With an exposure of 9.95 kg yr of Zn^{82}Se, we determine the two-neutrino double-β decay half-life of ^{82}Se with an unprecedented precision level, T_{1/2}^{2ν}=[8.60±0.03(stat) _{-0.13}^{+0.19}(syst)]×10^{19}  yr. The very high signal-to-background ratio, along with the detailed reconstruction of the background sources allowed us to identify the single state dominance as the underlying mechanism of such a process, demonstrating that the higher state dominance hypothesis is disfavored at the level of 5.5σ.

New Results from the NUMEN Project

International audience; NUMEN aims at accessing experimentally driven information on Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), by high-accuracy measurements of the cross sections of Heavy Ion (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. First evidence about the possibility to get quantitative information about NME from experiments is found for the (^18O,^18Ne) and (^20Ne,^20O) reactions. Moreover, to infer the neutrino average masses from the possible measurement of the half-life of 0νββ decay, the knowledge of the NME is a crucial aspect. The key tools for this project are the high resolution Superconducting Cyclotron beam…

Dy159 Electron-Capture: A New Candidate for Neutrino Mass Determination

International audience; The ground state to ground state electron-capture Q value of Dy159 (3/2-) has been measured directly using the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. A value of 364.73(19) keV was obtained from a measurement of the cyclotron frequency ratio of the decay parent Dy159 and the decay daughter Tb159 ions using the novel phase-imaging ion-cyclotron resonance technique. The Q values for allowed Gamow-Teller transition to 5/2- and the third-forbidden unique transition to 11/2+ state with excitation energies of 363.5449(14) keV and 362.050(40) keV in Tb159 were determined to be 1.18(19) keV and 2.68(19) keV, respectively. The high-precision Q value of transition 3/2-…

Direct measurement of the mass difference of 72As-72Ge rules out 72As as a promising β-decay candidate to determine the neutrino mass

Preprint of paper published on Physical Review C We report the first direct determination of the ground-state to ground-state electron-capture Q-value for the 72As to 72Ge decay by measuring their atomic mass difference utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The Q-value was measured to be 4343.596(75) keV, which is more than a 50-fold improvement in precision compared to the value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Furthermore, the new Qvalue was found to be 12.4(40) keV (3.1 σ) lower. With the significant reduction of the uncertainty of the ground-state to ground-state Q-value value combined with the level scheme of 72Ge from γ-ray spectro…

High-precision Q-value measurement and nuclear matrix element calculations for the double-β decay of 98Mo

The 98Mo double-beta decay Q-value has been measured, and the corresponding nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay and the standard two-neutrino double-beta (2νββ) decay have been provided by nuclear theory. The double-beta decay Q-value has been determined as Qββ=113.668(68) keV using the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer. It is in agreement with the literature value, Qββ=109(6) keV, but almost 90 times more precise. Based on the measured Q-value, precise phase-space factors for 2νββ decay and 0νββ decay, needed in the half-life predictions, have been calculated. Furthermore, the involved nuclear matrix elements have been computed in the proton–neutron quasi…

Constraints on partial half-lives of 136Ce and 138Ce double electron captures

The γ-ray emissions from a radiopure cerium-bromide crystal with a mass of 4381 g were measured for a total of 497.4 d by means of high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry in the HADES underground laboratory at a depth of 500 m.w.e. A search for 0/2νεε and 0/2νεβ+ double beta decay transitions of 136Ce and 138Ce was performed using Bayesian analysis techniques. No signals were observed for a total of 35 investigated decay modes. 90% credibility limits were set in the order of 1018–1019 yr. Existing constraints from a cerium oxide powder measurement were tested with a different cerium compound and half-life limits could be improved for most of the decay modes. The most likely accessible decay mode…

Precise measurement of $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2νββ decay of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo with the CUPID-Mo detection technology

We report the measurement of the two-neutrino double-beta ($$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2νββ ) decay of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo to the ground state of $$^{100}$$ 100 Ru using lithium molybdate ($$\hbox {Li}_2^{\;\;100}\hbox {MoO}_4$$ Li2100MoO4 ) scintillating bolometers. The detectors were developed for the CUPID-Mo program and operated at the EDELWEISS-III low background facility in the Modane underground laboratory (France). From a total exposure of 42.235 kg$$\times $$ × day, the half-life of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo is determined to be $$T_{1/2}^{2\nu }=[7.12^{+0.18}_{-0.14}\,\mathrm {(stat.)}\pm 0.10\,\mathrm {(syst.)}]\times 10^{18}$$ T1/22ν=[7.12-0.14+0.18(stat.)±0.10(syst.)]×1018 years. This is the mo…

Constraints on partial half-lives of Ce136 and Ce138 double electron captures

Collective features of Cr and Fe isotopes

The question of the sudden increase of collectivity in neutron-rich nuclei when approaching $N=40$ has recently interested both experimentalists and theorists. In this paper we study the development of collectivity along the chromium and iron isotopic chains. The calculations are performed within two different perspectives, namely, the proton-neutron interacting boson model (IBM-2) and interacting shell model (ISM) and compared with the available experimental data. The onset of collectivity is studied through nuclear quantities and observables that suggest differences in the nuclear structure of Cr and Fe isotopical chains. Furthermore, a prediction for the shape transition from a spherical…

Determining gA/gV with High-Resolution Spectral Measurements Using a LiInSe2 Bolometer

Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) processes sample a wide range of intermediate forbidden nuclear transitions, which may be impacted by quenching of the axial vector coupling constant (gA/gV), the uncertainty of which plays a pivotal role in determining the sensitivity reach of 0νββ experiments. In this Letter, we present measurements performed on a high-resolution LiInSe2 bolometer in a “source = detector” configuration to measure the spectral shape of the fourfold forbidden β decay of 115In. The value of gA/gV is determined by comparing the spectral shape of theoretical predictions to the experimental β spectrum taking into account various simulated background components as well as a …

Nuclear physics of non-standard 0νβ β-decay

The observation neutrinoless double beta (0νβ β) decay remains crucial for understanding lepton number violation. In view of the difficulties to observe the mass mechanism of 0νβ β-decay, investigations of other mechanisms are in order. These non-standard mechanisms can be divided into short-range and long-range mechanisms. Recently, we have started systematic study for all possible short-range and long-range non-standard mechanisms. The aim of this study is twofold: I) to provide explicit formulas for the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) and phase-space factors (PSFs) from which the decay rate for one or a combination of mechanisms operating at the same time can be calculated; II) to provide…

Direct determination of the atomic mass difference of the pairs 76As−76Se and 155Tb−155Gd rules out 76As and 155 Tb as possible candidates for electron (anti)neutrino mass measurements

The first direct determination of the ground-state–to–ground-state Q values of the β− decay 76As→76Se and the electron-capture decay 155Tb→155Gd was performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. By measuring the atomic mass difference of the decay pairs via the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique, the Q values of 76As→76Se and 155Tb→155Gd were determined to be 2959.265(74) keV and 814.94(18) keV, respectively. The precision was increased relative to earlier measurements by factors of 12 and 57, respectively. The new Q values are 1.33 keV and 5 keV lower compared to the values adopted in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. With the newly determi…

Two-neutrino double-beta decay of76Ge in an anharmonic vibrator approach

We have calculated the nuclear matrix element of two-neutrino double-beta (2???) decay of 76Ge by using the proton?neutron microscopic anharmonic vibrator approach (pnMAVA). In the pnMAVA the wavefunctions of the intermediate 1+ states in 76As have a one-phonon part containing the proton?neutron QRPA (pnQRPA) phonons and a two-phonon part built by coupling the pnQRPA and charge-conserving QRPA phonons. We compare the measured GT? and GT+ Gamow?Teller strength functions with the measured ones. The two-phonon components of the pnMAVA wavefunctions cause the pnQRPA strength to redistribute over a finite energy range. This has only a small effect on the value 2??? nuclear matrix element. This s…

Nuclear matrix elements for Majoron-emitting double-β decay

A complete calculation of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) for Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay within the framework of IBM-2 for spectral indices n=1,3,7 is presented. By combining the results of this calculation with previously calculated phase space factors (PSF) we give predictions for expected half-lives. By comparing with experimental limits on the half-lives we set limits on the coupling constants ⟨gMee⟩ of all proposed Majoron-emitting models. peerReviewed

Recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for 0νββ decay

An updated overview of recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay is reported in the framework of the NUMEN project. The NUMEN idea is to study heavy-ion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions with the aim to get information on the nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. Moreover, to infer the neutrino average masses from the possible measurement of the half- life of 0νββ decay, the knowledge of the nuclear matrix elements is a crucial aspect. Uma visão geral atualizada dos resultados recentes sobre reações induzidas por íons pesados ​​de interesse para o decaimento beta duplo sem neutrinos é relatada na es…

Observation of an ultralow- Q -value electron-capture channel decaying to As 75 via a high-precision mass measurement

High-precision Q-value measurement and nuclear matrix element calculations for the double-$$\beta $$ decay of $$^{98}$$Mo

AbstractThe $$^{98}$$ 98 Mo double-beta decay Q-value has been measured, and the corresponding nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double-beta ($$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β ) decay and the standard two-neutrino double-beta ($$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β ) decay have been provided by nuclear theory. The double-beta decay Q-value has been determined as $$Q_{\beta \beta }=113.668(68)$$ Q β β = 113.668 ( 68 )  keV using the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer. It is in agreement with the literature value, $$Q_{\beta \beta }=109(6)$$ Q β β = 109 ( 6 )  keV, but almost 90 times more precise. Based on the measured Q-value, precise phase-space factors for $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β deca…

Precise measurement of $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay of $^{100}$Mo with the CUPID-Mo detection technology

We report the measurement of the two-neutrino double-beta ($2\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{100}$Mo to the ground state of $^{100}$Ru using lithium molybdate (\crystal) scintillating bolometers. The detectors were developed for the CUPID-Mo program and operated at the EDELWEISS-III low background facility in the Modane underground laboratory. From a total exposure of $42.235$ kg$\times$d, the half-life of $^{100}$Mo is determined to be $T_{1/2}^{2\nu}=[7.12^{+0.18}_{-0.14}\,\mathrm{(stat.)}\pm0.10\,\mathrm{(syst.)}]\times10^{18}$ years. This is the most accurate determination of the $2\nu\beta\beta$ half-life of $^{100}$Mo to date. We also confirm, with the statistical significance of $>3\sigm…

Occupation probabilities of single particle levels using the microscopic interacting boson model: Application to some nuclei of interest in neutrinoless double-βdecay

We have developed a new method to calculate the occupancies of single particle levels in atomic nuclei. This method has been developed in the context of the microscopic interacting boson model, in which neutron and proton degrees of freedom are treated explicitly. The energies of the single particle levels constitute a very important input for the calculation of the occupancies in this method. In principle these energies can be considered as input parameters that can be fitted to reproduce the experimental occupancies. Instead of fitting, in this study we have extracted the single particle energies from experimental data on nuclei with a particle more or one particle less than a shell closu…

Array of cryogenic calorimeters to evaluate the spectral shape of forbidden β-decays : the ACCESS project

The ACCESS (Array of Cryogenic Calorimeters to Evaluate Spectral Shapes) project aims to establish a novel technique to perform precision measurements of forbidden β-decays, which can serve as an important benchmark for nuclear physics calculations and represent a significant background in astroparticle physics experiments. ACCESS will operate a pilot array of cryogenic calorimeters based on natural and doped crystals containing β-emitting radionuclides. In this way, natural (e.g. 113Cd and 115In) and synthetic isotopes (e.g. 99Tc) will be simultaneously measured with a common experimental technique. The array will also include further crystals optimised to disentangle the different backgro…

Study of the low-lying collective states in 94–100Mo isotopes using the MAVA

Abstract A systematic investigation of reduced electric quadrupole decay strengths, B ( E 2 ) and level energies of even 94–100 Mo isotopes is performed using the microscopic anharmonic vibrator approach (MAVA). The MAVA is suited for dynamical microscopic description of two-phonon-like states and their energy splitting due to interaction with low-lying one-phonon states. The starting point for the model is a realistic single-particle valence space and a microscopic many-body Hamiltonian which is used to generate the one-phonon states by the use of the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA). The same Hamiltonian generates also the interaction between the one- and two-phonon states.…

Ab initio calculation of muon capture on $^{24}$Mg

In this work we study ordinary muon capture (OMC) on $^{24}$Mg from a first principles perspective. Starting from a particular two- and three-nucleon interaction derived from chiral effective field theory, we use the valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group (VS-IMSRG) framework to construct effective Hamiltonians and muon-capture operators which nonperturbatively account for many-body physics outside the valence space. The obtained nuclear matrix elements are compared against those from the phenomenological shell model. The impact of including the correlations from the nuclear shell model (NSM) as well as including the induced two-body part is studied in detail. Furthermore,…

Phase space factors and half-life predictions for Majoron emitting $\beta^-\beta^-$ decay

A complete calculation of phase space factors (PSF) for Majoron emitting $0\nu\beta^-\beta^-$ decay modes is presented. The calculation makes use of exact Dirac wave functions with finite nuclear size and electron screening and includes life-times, single electron spectra, summed electron spectra, and angular electron correlations. Combining these results with recent interacting boson nuclear matrix elements (NME) we make half-life predictions for the the ordinary Majoron decay (spectral index $n$=1). Furthermore, comparing theoretical predictions with the obtained experimental lower bounds for this decay mode we are able to set limits on the effective Majoron-neutrino coupling constant $\l…

Short-range neutrinoless double beta decay mechanisms

Neutrinoless double beta decay can significantly help to shed light on the issue of non-zero neutrino mass, as observation of this lepton number violating process would imply neutrinos are Majorana particles. However, the underlying interaction does not have to be as simple as the standard neutrino mass mechanism. The entire variety of neutrinoless double beta decay mechanisms can be approached effectively. In this work we focus on a theoretical description of short-range effective contributions to neutrinoless double beta decay, which are equivalent to 9-dimensional effective operators incorporating the appropriate field content. We give a detailed derivation of the nuclear matrix elements…

Neutrinoless double-electron capture

Direct determination of the neutrino mass is at the present time one of the most important aims of experimental and theoretical research in nuclear and particle physics. A possible way of detection is through neutrinoless double-electron capture, $0\ensuremath{\nu}\mathrm{ECEC}$. This process can only occur when the energy of the initial state matches precisely that of the final state. We present here a calculation of prefactors (PFs) and nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) within the framework of the microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2) for $^{124}\mathrm{Xe}$, $^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$, $^{156}\mathrm{Dy}$, $^{164}\mathrm{Er}$, and $^{180}\mathrm{W}$. From the PF and NME we calculate the expe…

Dy 159 Electron-Capture: A New Candidate for Neutrino Mass Determination

Direct determination of the atomic mass difference of the pairs As76−Se76 and Tb155−Gd155 rules out As76 and Tb155 as possible candidates for electron (anti)neutrino mass measurements

Latest results from CUPID-0

International audience; CUPID-0 is a pilot experiment in scintillating cryogenic calorimetry for the search of neutrino-less double beta decay. 26 ZnSe crystals were operated continuously in the first project phase (March 2017 - December 2018), demonstrating unprecedented low levels of background in the region of interest at the Q-value of $^{82}\rm{Se}$. From this successful experience comes a demonstration of full alpha to beta/gamma background separation, the most stringent limits on the $^{82}\rm{Se}$ neutrino-less double beta decay, as well as the most precise measurement of the $^{82}$Se half-life. After a detector upgrade, CUPID-0 began its second and last phase (June 2019 - February…

Direct measurement of the mass difference of As 72 − Ge 72 rules out As 72 as a promising β -decay candidate to determine the neutrino mass

$0\nu\beta\beta$ and $2\nu\beta\beta$ nuclear matrix elements in the interacting boson model with isospin restoration

We introduce a method for isospin restoration in the calculation of nuclear matrix elements (NME) for $0\nu\beta\beta$ and $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay within the framework of interacting boson model (IBM-2). With this method, we calculate NME for all processes of interest in $0\nu\beta^-\beta^-$, $2\nu\beta^-\beta^-$, and in $0\nu\beta^+\beta^+$, $0\nu\beta^+ EC^+$, $R0\nu ECEC$, $2\nu\beta^+\beta^+$, $2\nu\beta^+EC$, and $2\nu ECEC$. With this method, the Fermi (F) matrix elements for $2\nu\beta\beta$ vanish, and those for $0\nu\beta\beta$ are considerably reduced.

Direct measurement of the mass difference of As72−Ge72 rules out As72 as a promising β -decay candidate to determine the neutrino mass

We report the first direct determination of the ground-state to ground-state electron-capture $Q$ value for the $^{72}\mathrm{As}$ to $^{72}\mathrm{Ge}$ decay by measuring their atomic mass difference utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The $Q$ value was measured to be 4343.596(75) keV, which is more than a fiftyfold improvement in precision compared to the value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Furthermore, the new $Q$ value was found to be 12.4(40) keV (3.1 $\ensuremath{\sigma}$) lower. With the significant reduction of the uncertainty of the ground-state to ground-state $Q$ value combined with the level scheme of $^{72}\mathrm{Ge}$ from $\ensurem…

Recent results in double beta decay

Abstract Nuclear matrix elements for 0νββ, 0νhββ, and 2νββ decay in the microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2) with isospin restoration are given for all nuclei of interest from 48Ca to 238U.

Dy159 Electron-Capture: A New Candidate for Neutrino Mass Determination

Nuclear matrix elements for Majoron emitting double-$\beta$ decay

A complete calculation of the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) for Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay within the framework of IBM-2 for spectral indices $n=1,3,7$ is presented. By combining the results of this calculation with previously calculated phase-space factors (PSFs) we give predictions for expected half-lives. By comparing with experimental limits on the half-lives we set limits on the coupling constants $\ensuremath{\langle}{g}_{ee}^{M}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ of all proposed Majoron-emitting models.

Spectrum-shape method and the next-to-leading-order terms of the β-decay shape factor

Effective values of the axial-vector coupling constant ${g}_{\mathrm{A}}$ have lately attracted much attention due to the prominent role of ${g}_{\mathrm{A}}$ in determining the half-lives of double $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decays, in particular their neutrinoless mode. The half-life method, i.e., comparing the calculated half-lives to the corresponding experimental ones, is the most widely used method to access the effective values of ${g}_{\mathrm{A}}$. The present paper investigates the possibilities offered by a complementary method: the spectrum-shape method (SSM). In the SSM, comparison of the shapes of the calculated and measured $\ensuremath{\beta}$ electron spectra of forbidden nonuniq…

Evidence of Single State Dominance in the Two-Neutrino Double- β Decay of Se82 with CUPID-0

We report on the measurement of the two-neutrino double-β decay of ^{82}Se performed for the first time with cryogenic calorimeters, in the framework of the CUPID-0 experiment. With an exposure of 9.95 kg yr of Zn^{82}Se, we determine the two-neutrino double-β decay half-life of ^{82}Se with an unprecedented precision level, T_{1/2}^{2ν}=[8.60±0.03(stat) _{-0.13}^{+0.19}(syst)]×10^{19}  yr. The very high signal-to-background ratio, along with the detailed reconstruction of the background sources allowed us to identify the single state dominance as the underlying mechanism of such a process, demonstrating that the higher state dominance hypothesis is disfavored at the level of 5.5σ.