Dr Daria Santone (RHUL)

Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: Status and Prospect

Neutrinoless double beta decay is a decay mode in which two neutrons are converted in two protons and two electrons are emitted. This process can take place only if the neutrino has a mass and it is a Majorana particle, i.e. neutrino is its own antiparticle. This decay has never been observed and the limit on its half−life is in the range 1025 −1026.Its detection could prove the Majorana nature of neutrino and it also represents a physical signal beyond the Standard Model because the lepton number is violated by two units. The search for Neutrinoless double beta decay is more challenging than ever. I will discuss the different experimental approaches and the current limits on its half−life, the most stringent limit comes from GERDA. I will also discuss the future large-scale experiment, which aim to reach a sensitivity in order to explore the inverted mass hierarchy region.

Location : Tolansky T125