The NEXT big thing in neutrinoless double beta decay

by Lior Arazi

BGU

at Physics Colloquium

Mon, 08 Nov 2021, 16:10
Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology (51), room 015

Abstract

The search for neutrinoless double beta (ββ0ν) decay is one of the central efforts in particle physics today. A detection of this ultra-rare phenomenon will prove that the neutrino is its own antiparticle and demonstrate, for the first time, the non-conservation of the total lepton number. It will further provide a clue for the origin and smallness of the neutrino mass, as well as for the dominance of matter over antimatter in the Universe. Four collaborations in Europe and the US are preparing to search for ββ0ν decay with tonne-scale detectors in the next decade: LEGEND, nEXO, CUPID and NEXT, with an overall budget of about USD 1B. In this talk I will give an overview of the field, with a focus on the NEXT program, of which BGU is a leading member, which searches for ββ0ν decay in Xe-136. I will highlight the unique properties of the experiment, in particular the ability to record, in fine detail, 3D images of events occurring inside the detector, and the potential to identify, in real time, the appearance of a single Ba-136 ion – daughter of Xe-136 – in a detector full of 10^28 xenon atoms.

*** Note: this colloquium will be held in person, in the "Nano" building auditorium (same place as in the past). ***

Created on 16-10-2021 by Kats, Yevgeny (katsye)
Updaded on 31-10-2021 by Kats, Yevgeny (katsye)