High sensitivity double beta decay study of 116-Cd and 100-Mo with the BOREXINO Counting Test Facility (CAMEO project)
/ Authors
G.Bellini, B.Caccianiga, M.Chen, F.A.Danevich, M.G.Giammarchi, V.V.Kobychev, B.N.Kropivyansky, E.Meroni, L.Miramonti, A.S.Nikolayko
and 5 more authors
L.Oberauer, O.A.Ponkratenko, V.I.Tretyak, S.Yu.Zdesenko, Yu.G.Zdesenko
/ Abstract
The unique features (super-low background and large sensitive volume) of the CTF and BOREXINO set ups are used in the CAMEO project for a high sensitivity study of 100 Mo and 116 Cd neutrinoless 2 β decay. Pilot measurements with 116 Cd and Monte Carlo simulations show that the sensitivity of the CAMEO experiment (in terms of the half-life limit for 0 ν 2 β decay) is (3–5) · 10 24 yr with a 1 kg source of 100 Mo ( 116 Cd, 82 Se, and 150 Nd) and ≈ 10 26 yr with 65 kg of enriched 116 CdWO 4 crystals placed in the liquid scintillator of the CTF. The last value corresponds to a limit on the neutrino mass of m ν ≤ 0 . 06 eV. Similarly with 1000 kg of 116 CdWO 4 crystals located in the BOREXINO apparatus the neutrino mass limit can be pushed down to m ν ≤ 0 . 02 eV.