Tracking-based Experiments in Double Beta Decay

Abstract

Neutrinoless double beta decay is the most sensitive way to test full lepton number violation and probe the nature of neutrino mass. Tracking based double beta decay experiments observe the process by reconstructing the topology of the event. This method provides a powerful background rejection and “smoking gun” evidence for the process. This report focuses on the results obtained with the currently running NEMO3 experiment and the status of its successor, the SuperNEMO project. The status of two projects based on gaseous 136Xe, NEXT and EXO-Gas, and a brief review of the DCBA experiment are also presented.