The study of neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD) is the only one presently known approach to the fundamental question if the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own anti-particle. The observation of neutrinoless DBD would not only establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino but also represent a determination of its effective mass if the nuclear matrix element is given. So far, the most sensitive results have been obtained with ${}^{76}$Ge, and the group of Klapdor-Kleingrothaus has made a claim of discovery. Future experiments have to reduce radioactive backgrounds to increase the sensitivity. GERDA is a new DBD experiment which is currently under construction in the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. It is implementing a new shielding concept by operating bare Ge diodes - enriched in ${}^{76}$Ge - in high purity liquid argon supplemented by a water shield. The aim of GERDA is to verify or refute the recent claim of discovery, and, in a second phase, to achieve a two orders of magnitude lower background index than recent experiments, increasing the sensitive mass and reaching exposure of 100 kg yr. The paper will discuss design, physics reach, and status of construction of GERDA.

Search of neutrinoless double beta decay of 76Ge with the Germanium detector array GERDA

BRUGNERA, RICCARDO
2009

Abstract

The study of neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD) is the only one presently known approach to the fundamental question if the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own anti-particle. The observation of neutrinoless DBD would not only establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino but also represent a determination of its effective mass if the nuclear matrix element is given. So far, the most sensitive results have been obtained with ${}^{76}$Ge, and the group of Klapdor-Kleingrothaus has made a claim of discovery. Future experiments have to reduce radioactive backgrounds to increase the sensitivity. GERDA is a new DBD experiment which is currently under construction in the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. It is implementing a new shielding concept by operating bare Ge diodes - enriched in ${}^{76}$Ge - in high purity liquid argon supplemented by a water shield. The aim of GERDA is to verify or refute the recent claim of discovery, and, in a second phase, to achieve a two orders of magnitude lower background index than recent experiments, increasing the sensitive mass and reaching exposure of 100 kg yr. The paper will discuss design, physics reach, and status of construction of GERDA.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/2513617
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