Double beta decay, and Majorana theory

1.The birth of double beta decay 2. From low energy nuclear physic to neutrino mass and properties 3. Experimental approaches and difficulties 4. Present experimental status 5. The nightmare of nuclear matrix elements 6. The future 7. News on Nuclear Matrix Elements 8. Majorana theory in solid states 10.Conclusions

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 1 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 2 Double beta decays

1935 M.Goeppert-Mayer, P.R. 48 (1935) 512 T>1020

Majorana, Nuovo Cimento 14 (1937) 171 Symmetric Theory of Electron and Positron

G. Racah, Nuovo Cimento 14 (1937) 322

W.H. Furry Lepton number nonconservation

1967: 130Te, Geochemical Ogata and Takaoka, Kirsten et

1987: 82Se, Direct counting Moe et al . 1987 : Source=detector 48Ca, 76Ge

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 3

- 1. (A,Z) => (A,Z+2) + 2 e + 2 ne Two neutrino double beta decay Allowed by the standard model Found in eleven nuclei to ground state and in two to excited state

2. (A,Z) => (A,Z+2) + 2 e- + c ( …2,3 c) Emission of a massless Goldston boson named Majoron (Gelmini and Roncadelli)

3. (A,Z) => (A,Z+2) + 2 e- Neutrinoless double beta decay. The two electrons share the total

transition energy E1 + E2 => DE => a peak should appear in the sum spectrum of the two electrons

Other possible “DL=2” decays - Double positron decay => b+ b+ - Positron decay + Electron Capture => EC- b+ - Double electron capture => EC-EC

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 4 Two neutrino and neutrinoless double beta decay

Measurement of the CP phase in the 0n bb-decay Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 5 Experimental challenges Many types of detectors • Cloud chambers • Emulsions? • Bubble chambers (yes for ) • Scintillators • Double state liquids • Time projectrion chambers • Imagining devices • Single atom counters 136Xe => 136Ba • Bolometers • Hybrid devices

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 6 How to search for bb decay

Geochemical experiments 82Se = > 82Kr, 96Zr = > 96Mo, 128Te = > 128Xe , 130Te = > 130Te Radiochemical experiments 238U = > 238Pu (non confirmed)

Direct experiments

Source = detector Source  detectors

e-

e-

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 7 Thermal detectors Q DT  Thermal sensor CV

v T 3 C V  1944 ( ) J/K  vm absorber crystal

Incident particle

Energy resolution <1 eV ~ 1eV @ 6 keV ~10 eV ~keV @ 2 MeV

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 8 A first bb experiment

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 9 RARE events

One of the main problem => background

Cosmic rays => underground physics

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 10 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 11 The Jin Ping Laboratory (700 m.w.e) INO

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 12 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 13 Radioactivity

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 14 CUORICINO

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 15 The second mystery of Ettore Majorana

In 1937, Majorana theoretically showed that the conclusions of the theory of β decay remain unchanged under the assumption of the existence of only onetype of the neutrino having no antiparticle (i.e., ν ≡ ¯ ν).

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 16 Dirac or Majorana neutrino?

n: LEFT

RIGHT n:

→ → Majorana <= => =>1937

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 17 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 18 Neutrino oscillations

Sterile LSND,Miniboon,Gallex,reactors)

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 19 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 20 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 21 Bracking news => 0nbb in 76Ge

~ 0.34eV

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 22 Present results on neutrinoess DBD

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 23 BUT => GERDA

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 24 Future experiments on DBD

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 25 GERDA Majorana Supernemo

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 26 Brussel May 29 2015 27 Ettore Fiorini

Brussel May 29 2015 28 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 29 Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 30 NEXT

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 31 CUORICINO CUORE0 CUORE

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 32 New

1/2 24 CUORE0 =>Ton > 2.7 x 10 90% c.l.

1/2 24 CUORE+CUORICINO =>Ton > 4 x 10 90% c.l. Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 33 The future => Hybrid techniques

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 34 Now a competitor AMORE Advanced Mo based Rare process Experiment

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 35 The past

Brussel May 29 2015 36 Robertson

Brussel May 29 2015 37 Bracking news unpleasant F.Iachello => S.Dell’Oro and F.Vissani A.Faessler et al. J.Phys. G35 (2008) 075104

Quenching g A from 2n bb decay and one n b decay

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 38 The first strike by Brutus

39 The final strike by Brutus

- Impressive progress by cosmology on neutrino mass. - Recent data by Planck - A detailed analysis of cosmological results possibly favoring the direct hierarchy

(Palanque Delabrouille) Sm n < 0.17 eV or

Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas Platus is a friend.but truth even more

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 40

Majorana => can a ½ spin particle be its own antiparticle? So far application to neutrino Conventional Cooper excitons are bosons and not Majorana particles In superconductors Cooper pairs, being boson like particle, form condensates respecting Pauli principle How to produce excitons which are Majorana particles Cooper pairs can be added to holes producing spin ½ exitons. Superconductors can contain magnetic wires acting as quasiparticles Form magnetic flux tubes ( vortices)

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 41

Bi2Te 3 on a superconductor NbSe2 In normal superconductors Scanning with a tunneling microscope and sepctrocope one can find explicity a single Majorana mode. Common opinion: Majorana theory can be as impoortnt in solid state like it is In elementary particle physics

Brussel May 29 2015 42 Conclusions

Massive detectors (now expensive) of unique sophistication Reduction of background which could hide neutrinoless bb events has reached an unprecedented sensistivity

The quenching of gA reduces the matrix would ref+duce sensitivity oon neutrino mass limit by a factor 4 to 5. If so no present hope to reach the inverse hierarchy region

The validity to extend to neutrinoless DBD the gA obtained from two neutrino and single beta decay should be justified The sophistication reached and to be reached in serches for DBD could have appplications in other fields of science Aplication to solid state physics of the Maiorana theory could bring to results as important as in solid state physics

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 43 There are more things in Earth and Heaven , Polonius, that can be dreamt of by your Philosophy Hamlet

Ettore Fiorini Brussel May 29 2015 44