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A Search for various Double Beta Decay Modes of Cd, Te and Zn Isotopes

Nuclear Experiment 2009-11-10 v2 High Energy Physics - Experiment High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Nuclear Theory

Abstract

Various double beta decay modes of Cd, Zn and Te isotopes are explored with the help of CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductor detectors. The data set is splitted in an energy range below 1 MeV having a statistics of 134.5 g\cdotd and one above 1 MeV resulting in 532 g\cdotd. No signals were observed in all channels under investigation. New improved limits for the neutrinoless double beta decay of Zn70 of T1/2>1.31016yrsT_{1/2} > 1.3 \cdot 10^{16} yrs (90% CL), the longest standing limit of all double beta isotopes, and 0νβ+\nu\beta^+EC of Te120 of T1/2>2.21016yrsT_{1/2} > 2.2 \cdot 10^{16} yrs (90% CL) are given. For the first time a limit on the half-life of the 2ν\nuECEC of 120^{120}Te of T1/2>9.41015yrsT_{1/2} > 9.4 \cdot 10^{15} yrs (90% CL) is obtained. In addition, limits on 2ν\nuECEC for ground state transitions of Cd106, Cd108 and Zn64 are improved. The obtained results even under rough background conditions show the reliability of CdTe semiconductor detectors for rare nuclear decay searches.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.nucl-ex/0301007,
  title  = {A Search for various Double Beta Decay Modes of Cd, Te and Zn Isotopes},
  author = {H. Kiel and D. Münstermann and K. Zuber},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:nucl-ex/0301007},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

Extended introduction and summary