Related papers: Nuclear Physics of Double Beta Decay
At least one neutrino has a mass of about 50 meV or larger. However, the absolute mass scale for the neutrino remains unknown. Studies of double beta decay offer hope for determining the absolute mass scale. Furthermore, the critical…
We review current experimental efforts to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0$\nu\beta\beta$). A description of the selected leading experiments is given and the strongest recent results are compared in terms of achieved background…
The experimental rate of neutrinoless double beta decay can be saturated by the exchange of virtual sterile neutrinos, that mix with the ordinary neutrinos and are heavier than 200 MeV. Interestingly, this hypothesis is subject only to…
Double-beta processes play a key role in the exploration of neutrino and weak interaction properties, and in the searches for effects beyond the Standard Model. During the last half century many attempts were undertaken to search for…
The $\nu_M{\rm SM}$ is defined as the SM extended to include dimension-5 operators. In this model neutrino masses violate lepton number, and two parameters of the lepton mixing matrix, the Majorana phases, are yet to be constrained. One…
The neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) of nuclei is one of the major research subjects of neutrino physics nowadays because of its influence on particle physics and astrophysics. The predicted nuclear matrix elements…
Assuming that neutrinos are Majorana particles, we explore what information can be inferred from future strong limits (i.e. non-observation) for neutrinoless double beta decay. Specifically we consider the case where the mass hierarchy is…
We revisit the phenomenology of neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay mediated by non-interfering exchange of light and heavy Majorana neutrinos, in the context of current and prospective ton-scale experimental searches, as well…
Many new neutrinoless double beta decay (0nbb) experiments are planned or in preparation. If the 0nbb-decay will be detected, the key issue will be what is the dominant mechanism of this process. By measuring only transitions to the ground…
We discuss up-to-date constraints on the Majorana neutrino mass $m_{\beta\beta}$ from neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) searches in experiments using different isotopes: KamLAND-Zen and EXO ($^{136}$Xe), GERDA and MAJORANA…
The present status of calculations of the nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless double beta decay is reviewed. A proposal which allows in principle to measure the neutrinoless double beta decay Fermi matrix element is briefly described.
Even after the discovery of neutrino flavour oscillations, based on data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator experiments, many characteristics of the neutrino remain unknown. Only the neutrino square-mass differences and the…
We have studied the constraints imposed by the results of neutrino oscillation experiments on the effective Majorana mass |<m>| that characterizes the contribution of Majorana neutrino masses to the matrix element of neutrinoless…
The observation of neutrino oscillations and hence non-zero neutrino masses provided a milestone in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. But even though we now know that neutrinos are massive, the nature of neutrino masses,…
The recently developed formalism for the evaluation of nuclear form factors in neutrinoless double beta decay is applied to $^{48}Ca$, $^{76}Ge$, $^{82}Se$, $^{100}Mo$, $^{128}Te$ and $^{130}Te$ nuclei. Explicit analytical expressions that…
Neutrinoless double beta ($\znbb$) decay violates lepton number; its absence stringently constrains the parameters of theories beyond the standard model in which the neutrino has a Majorana mass. R-parity violating weak-scale supersymmetry…
We discuss the relation between the absolute neutrino mass scale, the effective mass measured in neutrinoless double beta decay, and the Majorana CP phases. Emphasis is placed on estimating the upper bound on the nuclear matrix element…
We make a comparative study of the neutrinoless double beta decay constraints on heavy sterile neutrinos versus other direct and indirect constraints from both lepton number conserving and violating processes, as a sensitive probe of the…
A possible model independent test of the theoretically calculated nuclear matrix elements of $0\nu\beta\beta$-decay is proposed. The test can be accomplished if $0\nu\beta\beta$-decay of three (or more) nuclei is observed. The selection of…
Neutrinoless double beta decay allows to constrain lepton number violating extensions of the standard model. If neutrinos are Majorana particles, the mass mechanism will always contribute to the decay rate, however, it is not a priori…