Abstract
A high pressure xenon gas time projection chamber with electroluminescent amplification (EL HPGXe TPC) searching for the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay offers: excellent energy resolution [1, 2] (0.5 − 0.7% FWHM at the Qββ), by amplifying the ionization signal with electroluminescent light, and tracking capabilities [3], as demonstrated by the NEXT collaboration using two kg-scale prototypes. The NEXT collaboration is building an EL HPGXe TPC capable of holding 100 kg (NEXT-100) of xenon isotopically enriched in 136Xe. The installation and commissioning of the NEXT-100 detector at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) is planned for 2018. The current estimated background level for the NEXT-100 detector is of 4 × 10−4 counts/keV-kg-yr or less in the energy region of interest [4]. Assuming an energy resolution of 0.75% FWHM at the Qνββ and a 0νββ signal efficiency of about 28%, this gives an expected sensitivity (at 90% CL) to the 0νββ decay half life of yr for an exposure of 275 kg yr. A first phase of the NEXT experiment, called NEW, is currently being commissioned at the LSC. The NEW detector is a scale 1:2 in size (1:10 in mass) of the NEXT-100 detector using the same materials and photosensors and will be used to perform a characterization of the 0νββ backgrounds and a measurement of the standard double beta decay with neutrinos (2ν ββ). An 8 sigma significance for the 2νββ signal in the NEW detector has been estimated for a 100-day run.
Highlights
The collaboration is building an EL HPGXe time projection chamber (TPC) capable of holding 100 kg (NEXT-100) of xenon isotopically enriched in 136Xe
One of the most promising technologies to search for the 0νββ decay is an asymmetric high pressure xenon gas (HPGXe) time projection chamber (TPC) with electroluminescent (EL) amplification
The collaboration is building an EL HPGXe TPC capable of holding 100 kg (NEXT-100) of xenon isotopically enriched with 136Xe
Summary
One of the most promising technologies to search for the 0νββ decay is an asymmetric high pressure xenon gas (HPGXe) time projection chamber (TPC) with electroluminescent (EL) amplification. The collaboration is building an EL HPGXe TPC capable of holding 100 kg (NEXT-100) of xenon isotopically enriched with 136Xe. The installation of NEXT-100 at the LSC is planned for 2018. The installation of NEXT-100 at the LSC is planned for 2018 This technology offers excellent energy resolution [1, 2] (0.5 − 0.7% FWHM at the Qββ), by amplifying the ionization signal with electroluminescent light, and tracking capabilities [3], as demonstrated by the collaboration using two kg-scale prototypes. The research program has been organized into four stages: 1) demonstration of the EL HPGXe TPC technology with ∼ 1 kg detectors (NEXT-DEMO and NEXT-DBDM); 2) characterization of the backgrounds for the 0νββ signal and measurement of the 2νββ decay with a 10 kg detector called NEXT-WHITE (NEW) at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC); 3) search for the 0νββ decay with the NEXT-100 detector at the LSC and 4) scale up and further development to reduce backgrounds and enhance the topological signature for a 1 tonne-scale EL HPGXe TPC
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