Search for double-beta decay of $$mathrm {^{130}Te}$$ to the $$0^+$$ states of $$mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$ with CUORE

Adams, D. Q.; Alduino, C.; Alfonso, K.; Avignone, F. T. III; Azzolini, O.; Bari, G.; Bellini, F.; Benato, G.; Biassoni, M.; Branca, A.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Camilleri, J.; Caminata, A.; Campani, A.; Canonica, L.; Cao, X. G.; Capelli, S.; Cappelli, L.; Cardani, L.; Carniti, P.; Casali, N.; Celi, E.; Chiesa, D.; Clemenza, M.; Copello, S.; Cosmelli, C.; Cremonesi, O.; Creswick, R. J.; D’Addabbo, A.; Dafinei, I.; Davis, C. J.; Dell’Oro, S.; Domizio, S. Di; Dompè, V.; Fang, D. Q.; Fantini, G.; Faverzani, M.; Ferri, E.; Ferroni, F.; Fiorini, E.; Franceschi, M. A.; Freedman, S. J.; S. H., Fu; Fujikawa, B. K.; Giachero, A.; Gironi, L.; Giuliani, A.; Gorla, P.; Gotti, C.; Gutierrez, T. D.; Han, K.; Heeger, K. M.; Huang, R. G.; Huang, H. Z.; Johnston, J.; Keppel, G.; Kolomensky, Yu. G.; Ligi, C.; Ma, L.; Y. G., Ma; Marini, L.; Maruyama, R. H.; Mayer, D.; Mei, Y.; Moggi, N.; Morganti, S.; Napolitano, T.; Nastasi, M.; Nikkel, J.; Nones, C.; Norman, E. B.; Nucciotti, A.; Nutini, I.; O’Donnell, T.; Ouellet, J. L.; Pagan, S.; Pagliarone, C. E.; Pagnanini, L.; Pallavicini, M.; Pattavina, L.; Pavan, M.; Pessina, G.; Pettinacci, V.; Pira, C.; Pirro, S.; Pozzi, S.; Previtali, E.; Puiu, A.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rusconi, C.; Sakai, M.; Sangiorgio, S.; Schmidt, B.; Scielzo, N. D.; Sharma, V.; Singh, V.; Sisti, M.; Speller, D.; Surukuchi, P. T.; Taffarello, L.; Terranova, F.; Tomei, C.; Vetter, K. J.; Vignati, M.; Wagaarachchi, S. L.; Wang, B. S.; Welliver, B.; Wilson, J.; Wilson, K.; Winslow, L. A.; Zimmermann, S.; Zucchelli, S.

doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09317-z

The CUORE experiment is a large bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrino-less double beta decay (0) in the isotope 130Te. In this work we present the latest results on two searches for the double beta decay (DBD) of 130Te to the first 0+2 excited state of 130Xe: the 0 decay and the Standard Model-allowed two-neutrinos double beta decay (2). Both searches are based on a 372.5 kg×yr TeO2 exposure. The de-excitation gamma rays emitted by the excited Xe nucleus in the final state yield a unique signature, which can be searched for with low background by studying coincident events in two or more bolometers. The closely packed arrangement of the CUORE crystals constitutes a significant advantage in this regard. The median limit setting sensitivities at 90% Credible Interval (C.I.) of the given searches were estimated as S01/2=5.6×10^24yr for the 0 decay and S21/2=2.1×10^24yr for the 2 decay. No significant evidence for either of the decay modes was observed and a Bayesian lower bound at 90% C.I. on the decay half lives is obtained as: (T1/2)00+2>5.9×10^24yr for the 0 mode and (T1/2)20+2>1.3×10^24yr for the 2 mode. These represent the most stringent limits on the DBD of 130Te to excited states and improve by a factor ∼5 the previous results on this process.

Search for double-beta decay of $$mathrm {^{130}Te}$$ to the $$0^+$$ states of $$mathrm {^{130}Xe}$$ with CUORE / Adams, D. Q.; Alduino, C.; Alfonso, K.; Avignone, F. T. III; Azzolini, O.; Bari, G.; Bellini, F.; Benato, G.; Biassoni, M.; Branca, A.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Camilleri, J.; Caminata, A.; Campani, A.; Canonica, L.; Cao, X. G.; Capelli, S.; Cappelli, L.; Cardani, L.; Carniti, P.; Casali, N.; Celi, E.; Chiesa, D.; Clemenza, M.; Copello, S.; Cosmelli, C.; Cremonesi, O.; Creswick, R. J.; D’Addabbo, A.; Dafinei, I.; Davis, C. J.; Dell’Oro, S.; Domizio, S. Di; Dompè, V.; Fang, D. Q.; Fantini, G.; Faverzani, M.; Ferri, E.; Ferroni, F.; Fiorini, E.; Franceschi, M. A.; Freedman, S. J.; Fu, S. H.; Fujikawa, B. K.; Giachero, A.; Gironi, L.; Giuliani, A.; Gorla, P.; Gotti, C.; Gutierrez, T. D.; Han, K.; Heeger, K. M.; Huang, R. G.; Huang, H. Z.; Johnston, J.; Keppel, G.; Kolomensky, Yu. G.; Ligi, C.; Ma, L.; Ma, Y. G.; Marini, L.; Maruyama, R. H.; Mayer, D.; Mei, Y.; Moggi, N.; Morganti, S.; Napolitano, T.; Nastasi, M.; Nikkel, J.; Nones, C.; Norman, E. B.; Nucciotti, A.; Nutini, I.; O’Donnell, T.; Ouellet, J. L.; Pagan, S.; Pagliarone, C. E.; Pagnanini, L.; Pallavicini, M.; Pattavina, L.; Pavan, M.; Pessina, G.; Pettinacci, V.; Pira, C.; Pirro, S.; Pozzi, S.; Previtali, E.; Puiu, A.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rusconi, C.; Sakai, M.; Sangiorgio, S.; Schmidt, B.; Scielzo, N. D.; Sharma, V.; Singh, V.; Sisti, M.; Speller, D.; Surukuchi, P. T.; Taffarello, L.; Terranova, F.; Tomei, C.; Vetter, K. J.; Vignati, M.; Wagaarachchi, S. L.; Wang, B. S.; Welliver, B.; Wilson, J.; Wilson, K.; Winslow, L. A.; Zimmermann, S.; Zucchelli, S.. - In: THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. C, PARTICLES AND FIELDS. - ISSN 1434-6044. - 81:7(2021). [10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09317-z]