Configuration mixing effects on neutrinoless $\beta\beta$-decay nuclear matrix elements

Mixing and coexistence of intrinsic nuclear shapes play an important role to determine the low-energy structure of heavy nuclei, and are expected to affect nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) of neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay. This problem is addressed in the interacting boson model with configuration mixing that is formulated by using the nuclear energy density functional theory. It is shown that significant amounts of mixing of normal and deformed intruder configurations are present in the ground and excited $0^+$ states in the even-even nuclei that are parent or daughter nuclei of the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay. An illustrative application to the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decays of $^{76}$Ge, $^{96}$Zr, $^{100}$Mo, $^{116}$Cd, and $^{150}$Nd shows that the inclusion of the configuration mixing reduces the NMEs for most of the $0^+_1$ $\to$ $0^+_1$ $0\nu\beta\beta$ decays.