Double-beta decay Q values of $^{130}$Te, $^{128}$Te, and $^{120}$Te

ORAL

Abstract

Using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer we have measured $Q$ values for the double-beta decay processes with parent nuclei $^{120}$Te, $^{128}$Te, $^{130}$Te. These measurements are relevant to the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0\nu \beta \beta$) at the COURE/CUORICINO experiment. If observed, $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay would imply that the electron neutrino is a massive Majorana particle and that lepton number is not universally conserved in nature. We provide our results and a discussion of their implications.

–

Authors

  • S.A. Caldwell

  • N.D. Scielzo

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLNL

  • G. Savard

  • Jason Clark

    Argonne National Lab., Argonne National Laboratory

  • J. Van Schelt

    University of Chicago

  • C.M. Deibel

    Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, Joint Inst. Nuclear Astrophysics and Argonne National Lab.

  • J. Fallis

  • S. Gulick

  • D. Lascar

  • A.F. Levand

  • G. Li

  • J. Mintz

  • E.B. Norman

    UC Berkeley

  • K.S. Sharma

    University of Manitoba

  • M. Sternberg

  • T. Sun