Direct Neutrino Mass Measurements Research Articles

Neutrino mass sum rules from modular A4 symmetry

Modular symmetries offer a dynamic approach to understanding the flavor structure of leptonic mixing. Using the modular A4 flavor symmetry integrated in a type-II seesaw, we propose a simple and minimalistic model that restricts the neutrino oscillation parameter space and, most importantly, introduces a sum rule in the physical neutrino masses. When combined with the mass squared differences observed in neutrino oscillations, this sum rule determines the absolute neutrino mass scale. This has significant implications for cosmology, neutrinoless double beta decay experiments, and direct neutrino mass measurements. In particular, the model predicts ∑imi≈0.1 eV for both normal and inverted ordering, and thus can be fully probed by the current generation of cosmological probes in the upcoming years. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Probing the Neutrino-Mass Scale with the KATRIN Experiment

The absolute mass scale of neutrinos is an intriguing open question in contemporary physics. The as-yet-unknown mass of the lightest and, at the same time, most abundant massive elementary particle species bears fundamental relevance to theoretical particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. The most model-independent experimental approach consists of precision measurements of the kinematics of weak decays, notably tritium β decay. With the KATRIN experiment, this direct neutrino-mass measurement has entered the sub-eV domain, recently pushing the upper limit on the electron-based neutrino mass down to 0.8 eV (90% CL) on the basis of first-year data out of ongoing, multiyear operations. Here, we review the experimental apparatus of KATRIN, the progress of data taking, and initial results. While KATRIN is heading toward the target sensitivity of 0.2 eV, other scientific goals are pursued. We discuss the search for light sterile neutrinos and an outlook on future keV-scale sterile-neutrino searches as well as further physics opportunities beyond the Standard Model.

Direct neutrino-mass measurement with sub-electronvolt sensitivity

Since the discovery of neutrino oscillations, we know that neutrinos have non-zero mass. However, the absolute neutrino-mass scale remains unknown. Here we report the upper limits on effective electron anti-neutrino mass, mν, from the second physics run of the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino experiment. In this experiment, mν is probed via a high-precision measurement of the tritium β-decay spectrum close to its endpoint. This method is independent of any cosmological model and does not rely on assumptions whether the neutrino is a Dirac or Majorana particle. By increasing the source activity and reducing the background with respect to the first physics campaign, we reached a sensitivity on mν of 0.7 eV c–2 at a 90% confidence level (CL). The best fit to the spectral data yields {{mbox{}}}{m}_{nu }^{2}{{mbox{}}} = (0.26 ± 0.34) eV2 c–4, resulting in an upper limit of mν < 0.9 eV c–2 at 90% CL. By combining this result with the first neutrino-mass campaign, we find an upper limit of mν < 0.8 eV c–2 at 90% CL.

High-resolution spectroscopy of gaseous 83mKr conversion electrons with the KATRIN experiment

In this work, we present the first spectroscopic measurements of conversion electrons originating from the decay of metastable gaseous 83mKr with the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment. The obtained results represent one of the major commissioning milestones for the subsequent direct neutrino mass measurement with KATRIN. The successful campaign demonstrates the functionalities of the KATRIN beamline. Precise measurement of the narrow K-32, L3-32, and N2,3-32 conversion electron lines allowed to verify the eV-scale energy resolution of the KATRIN main spectrometer necessary for competitive measurement of the absolute neutrino mass scale.

New results and perspectives in neutrino physics

A brief review of new results and perspectives in neutrino physics is presented. An emphasis on a search for CP violation in neutrino oscillations and a search for sterile neutrinos is given. Status of measurement of the direct neutrino mass measurement and searches for neutrinoless double beta decay are also discussed.

Direct neutrino mass measurement by the HOLMES experiment

The assessment of the neutrino absolute mass scale is still a crucial challenge in today particle physics and cosmology. Beta or electron capture spectrum end-point study is currently the only experimental method which can provide a model independent measurement of the absolute scale of neutrino mass. HOLMES is an experiment to directly measure the neutrino mass by performing a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the electron capture decay of the artificial isotope 163Ho. In a calorimetric measurement the energy released in the decay process is entirely contained into the detector, except for the fraction taken away by the neutrino. This approach eliminates both the issues related to the use of an external source and the systematic uncertainties arising from decays on excited final states. HOLMES will deploy a large array of low temperature microcalorimeters implanted with 163Ho nuclei. The achievable neutrino mass statistical sensitivity is expected in the eV range, thereby making HOLMES an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach as an alternative to spectrometry. HOLMES will also establish the potential of this approach to achieve a sub-eV sensitivity. HOLMES is designed to collect about 3 × 1013 decays with an instrumental energy resolution around 1 eV FWHM and a time resolution around 1 µs. To achieve this in three years of measuring time, HOLMES is going to deploy 16 sub-arrays of TES microcalorimeters. Each sub-array has 64 pixels ion implanted with 163Ho nuclei to give a pixel activity of 300 Bq per pixel. The TES arrays are read out using microwave multiplexed rf-SQUIDs in combination with a Software Designed Radio data acquisition system. The commissioning of the first implanted sub-array is scheduled for 2018 and it will provide first high statistics data about the EC decay of 163Ho together with a preliminary limit on the neutrino mass. In this contribution we outline the HOLMES project with its physics reach and technical challenges, along with its status and perspectives. In particular we will present the status of the HOLMES activities concerning the 163Ho isotope production by neutron irradiation and purification, the TES pixel design and optimization, the multiplexed array read-out characterization, the cryogenic set-up installation, and the setting up of the mass separation and ion implantation system for the isotope embedding in the TES absorbers.

Microfabrication of Transition-Edge Sensor Arrays of Microcalorimeters with 163Ho for Direct Neutrino Mass Measurements with HOLMES

HOLMES is aiming at a direct measurement of neutrino mass by performing a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the decay of 163Ho. In such approach, the 163Ho source, with the required activity, needs to be embedded in the detector. HOLMES will deploy a large array of transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters with implanted 163Ho ions. While good progress has been made in optimizing single pixel design and fabrication to achieve the target resolution, a major challenge is the fabrication of arrays of such microcalorimeters with the required amount of 163Ho ions embedded in the detectors absorber. We describe the multi-step microfabrication process implemented to produce the detector arrays for HOLMES. One crucial part of such process is the ability to perform co-deposition of gold during the 163Ho implantation process on the detectors absorber. We describe the UHV target chamber, with integrated gold deposition system, we have built to achieve this goal.

Development of transition edge sensors with rf-SQUID based multiplexing system for the HOLMES experiment

Measuring the neutrino mass is one the most compelling issue in particle physics. HOLMES is an experiment funded by the European Research Council for a direct measurement of neutrino mass. HOLMES will perform a precise measurement of the end point of the Electron Capture decay spectrum of 163Ho in order to extract information on neutrino mass with a sensitivity as low as 1 eV. HOLMES, in its final configuration will deploy a 1000 pixel array of low temperature microcalorimeters: each calorimeter consists of an absorber, where the Ho atoms will be implanted, coupled to a Transition Edge Sensor thermometer. The detectors will be kept at the working temperature of ∼70 mK using a dilution refrigerator. In order to gather the required 3 × 1013 events in a three year long data taking with a pile up fraction as low as 10−4, detectors must fulfill rather high speed and resolution requirements, i.e. 10 µs rise time and 4 eV resolution. To ensure such performances with an efficient read out technique for very large detectors array kept at low temperature inside a cryostat is no trivial matter: at the moment, the most appealing read out technique applicable to large arrays of Transition Edge Sensors is rf-SQUID multiplexing. It is based on the use of rf-SQUIDs as input devices with flux ramp modulation for linearisation purposes; the rf-SQUID is then coupled to a super-conductive λ/4-wave resonator in the GHz range, and the modulated signal is finally read out using the homodyne technique.

Neutrinoless double beta decay and nuclear environment

We show that the presence in the nuclear medium of lepton number violating four-fermion interactions of neutrinos with quarks from a decaying nucleus could account for an apparent incompatibility among the 0 νββ searches in the laboratory, the direct neutrino mass measurement with the nuclear β-decay and cosmological data.

HOLMES

The experiment HOLMES, founded by the European Research Council, will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the electron capture of 163Ho to directly measure the neutrino mass with a sensitivity of ∼ 1 eV. This approach allows to eliminate the problematics connected to the use of external sources and the systematic uncertainties arising from decays on excited states. Such measurement will be performed with low temperature thermal detectors, where the decay energy is converted into a temperature signal measured by sensitive thermometers.HOLMES, besides of being an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach, will also establish the potential of this approach to extend the sensitivity down to 0.1 eV and lower. The best configuration has been defined with Monte Carlo simulations: HOLMES will collect about 3 × 1013 decays with 1000 detectors characterized by an instrumental energy resolution of the order of the eV and a time resolution of few microseconds. For a measuring time of 3 years, this translates in a total required 163Ho activity of about 300 kBq, equivalent to about 6.5 × 1016 163Ho nuclei, or 18 µg. The HOLMES detectors will have 163Ho implanted into Gold absorber coupled to Transition Edge Sensors, which will be read using microwave multiplexed rf-SQUIDs in combination with a ROACH2 based acquisition system. An extensive R&D activity is in progress in order to maximize the multiplexing factor while preserving the performances of the individual detectors.R&D activities aimed at optimizing the single detector performances, the 163Ho isotope production and embedding are in progress and will converge in a preliminary measurement of an array of 16 detectors planned by the end of 2016.We outline here the HOLMES project with its technical challenges, its status and perspectives.

Measuring the electron neutrino mass with improved sensitivity: the HOLMES experiment

HOLMES is a new experiment aiming at directly measuring the neutrino mass with a sensitivity below 2 eV . HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the decay of 163Ho. The calorimetric measurement eliminates systematic uncertainties arising from the use of external beta sources, as in experiments with spectrometers. This measurement was proposed in 1982 by A. De Rujula and M. Lusignoli, but only recently the detector technological progress has allowed to design a sensitive experiment. HOLMES will deploy a 1000 pixels array of low temperature microcalorimeters with implanted 163Ho nuclei. HOLMES, besides being an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach, will also establish the potential of this approach to extend the sensitivity down to 0.1 eV and lower. The detectors used for the HOLMES experiment will be Mo/Cu bilayers TESs (Transition Edge Sensors) on SiNx membrane with gold absorbers. Microwave multiplexed rf-SQUIDs are the best available technique to read out large array of such detectors. An extensive R&D activity is in progress in order to maximize the multiplexing factor while preserving the performances of the individual detectors. To embed the 163Ho into the gold absorbers a custom mass separator ion implanter is being developed. The current activities are focused on the the single detector performances optimization and on the 163Ho isotope production and embedding. A preliminary measurement of a sub-array of 4× 16 detectors is planned late in 2017. In this contribution we present the HOLMES project with its technical challenges, its status and perspectives.

Transition-Edge Sensor Arrays of Microcalorimeters with $$^{163}$$ 163 Ho for Direct Neutrino Mass Measurements with HOLMES

The HOLMES experiment will provide an important step forward in direct neutrino mass measurements with a calorimetric approach as an alternative to spectrometry. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the decay of \(^{163}\)Ho and will deploy a large array of transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters with implanted \(^{163}\)Ho nuclei. The resulting mass sensitivity could be as low as 0.4 eV, and it will also establish the potential of this approach to extend the sensitivity down to 0.1 eV and lower.

Development of the rf-SQUID Based Multiplexing System for the HOLMES Experiment

Measuring the neutrino mass is one of the most compelling issues in particle physics. The European Research Council has funded HOLMES, a new experiment for a direct measurement of neutrino mass that started in 2014. HOLMES will perform a precise measurement of the end point of the Electron Capture decay spectrum of \(^{163}\)Ho in order to extract information on neutrino mass with a sensitivity as low as 0.4 eV. HOLMES, in its final configuration, will deploy a 1000 pixel array of low-temperature microcalorimeters: each calorimeter consists of an absorber, where the Ho atoms will be implanted, coupled to a transition edge sensor thermometer. The read out for an array of 1000 cryogenic detectors is a crucial matter: for HOLMES, a special radio-frequency-based multiplexing system is being developed. In this contribution, we outline the performance and special features of the multiplexing system and readout methods chosen for HOLMES.

Separation of 163Er from dysprosium target: a step toward neutrino mass measurement through electron capture of 163Ho

Production of pure 163Ho, a potential source for the direct kinematic measurement of neutrino mass, via the decay of its precursor 163Er has been investigated. The short-lived 163Er (75 min) will be produced in the α-particle induced reaction on natural Dy oxide target and will decay eventually to 163Ho. A fast radiochemical separation technique based on liquid–liquid extraction using di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) dissolved in cyclohexane as organic phase and HCl as aqueous phase has been developed to separate no-carrier added (NCA) Er from the Dy matrix.

HOLMES: The electron capture decay of [Formula: see text]Ho to measure the electron neutrino mass with sub-eV sensitivity.

The European Research Council has recently funded HOLMES, a new experiment to directly measure the neutrino mass. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the decay of ^{163}Ho. The calorimetric measurement eliminates systematic uncertainties arising from the use of external beta sources, as in experiments with beta spectrometers. This measurement was proposed in 1982 by A. De Rujula and M. Lusignoli, but only recently the detector technological progress allowed to design a sensitive experiment. HOLMES will deploy a large array of low temperature microcalorimeters with implanted ^{163}Ho nuclei. The resulting mass sensitivity will be as low as 0.4 eV. HOLMES will be an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach as an alternative to spectrometry. It will also establish the potential of this approach to extend the sensitivity down to 0.1 eV. We outline here the project with its technical challenges and perspectives.

Direct neutrino mass measurements after PLANCK

Abstract The absolute mass scale of neutrinos remains an open question subject to experimental investigation from both particle physics and cosmology. Over the next decade, a number of experiments from both disciplines will attempt to probe the mass scale further to the very limits of the predictions from oscillation results. This paper provides a broad overview of the experimental program in neutrino mass scale measurements, with a particular focus on direct experimental probes due to come online over the next decade.

Preliminary Results of the MARE Experiment

The microcalorimeter array for a rhenium experiment (MARE) project aims at the direct and calorimetric measurement of the electron neutrino mass with sub-eV sensitivity. The design is based on large arrays of thermal detectors to study the beta decay of \(^{187}\)Re and the electron capture of \(^{163}\)Ho. One of the activities of the project, MARE 1 in Milan, has started in Milan using one array of 6 \(\times \) 6 silicon implanted thermistors equipped with AgReO\(_4\) absorbers. The purposes of MARE 1 in Milan are to achieve a sensitivity on the neutrino mass of a few eV and to investigate the systematics of \(^{187}\)Re neutrino mass measurements, focusing on those caused by the beta environmental fine structure and the beta spectrum theoretical shape. In parallel, the MARE collaboration is performing an R&D work for producing absorbers embedded with radioactive metal \(^{163}\)Ho. We report here the status of MARE using Re as beta source and the preliminary results obtained with \(^{163}\)Ho.

Nuclear matter andνproperties fromπinduced reactions and decays

Measurement of the in-medium modifications of theresonance, signatures of the excitation of nuclear collective states and the first experimental evidence for a thermal emission of photons have been obtained from the analysis of new � ± 4 He data at T� =106 MeV at PAINUC with the PAINUC experiment at JINR. Experimental limits on the direct measurement of the muon neutrino mass is also being studied: the pion mass resolution, at present 350 eV, heavily constrains the accessible msector above 419 keV/c 2 .

Neutrino mass measurement with 187Re and 163Ho in the framework of MARE

In the last decades, neutrino oscillation experiments have provided the evidence of a non-vanishing neutrino mass leading to a new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). The difficulty in detecting and studying them explains why the neutrinos are the object of many experiments dedicated to determine their mass and nature. The experiments dedicated to effective electron-neutrino mass determination are the ones based on kinematic analysis of electrons emitted in single β-decay. In this context the MARE experiment aiming at the direct and calorimetric measurement of the electron neutrino mass with sub-eV sensitivity has born. Although the baseline of the MARE project is based on large arrays of rhenium thermal detectors, the MARE collaboration is considering the possibility to use 163Ho electron capture (EC). This contribution gives an outlook of the neutrino mass measurement with 187Re and 163Ho in the framework of MARE.

Direct neutrino mass measurements

Direct neutrino mass experiments are complementary to searches for neutrinoless double β-decay and to analyses of cosmological data. The previous tritium beta decay experiments at Mainz and at Troitsk have achieved upper limits on the neutrino mass of about 2 eV/c2 . The KATRIN experiment under construction will improve the neutrino mass sensitivity down to 200 meV/c2 by increasing strongly the statistics and—at the same time—reducing the systematic uncertainties. Huge improvements have been made to operate the system extremely stably and at very low background rate. The latter comprises new methods to reject secondary electrons from the walls as well as to avoid and to eject electrons stored in traps. As an alternative to tritium β-decay experiments cryo-bolometers investigating the endpoint region of 187Re β-decay or the electron capture of 163Ho are being developed. This article briefly reviews the current status of the direct neutrino mass measurements.