Erratum: Measurement of the 2νßß Decay Half-Life of

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.171801.

Measurement of the 2νßß Decay Half-Life of

We measured two-neutrino double beta decay of ^{130}Te using an exposure of 300.7 kg yr accumulated with the CUORE detector. Using a Bayesian analysis to fit simulated spectra to experimental data, it was possible to disentangle all the major background sources and precisely measure the two-neutrino contribution. The half-life is in agreement with past measurements with a strongly reduced uncertainty: T_{1/2}^{2ν}=7.71_{-0.06}^{+0.08}(stat)_{-0.15}^{+0.12}(syst)×10^{20} yr. This measurement is the most precise determination of the ^{130}Te 2νßß decay half-life to date.

Improved Limit on Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in

We report new results from the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in ^{130} Te with the CUORE detector. This search benefits from a fourfold increase in exposure, lower trigger thresholds, and analysis improvements relative to our previous results. We observe a background of (1.38±0.07)×10^{-2} counts/(keV kg yr)) in the 0νßß decay region of interest and, with a total exposure of 372.5 kg yr, we attain a median exclusion sensitivity of 1.7×10^{25} yr. We find no evidence for 0νßß decay and set a 90% credibility interval Bayesian lower limit of 3.2×10^{25} yr on the ^{130} Te half-life for this process. In the hypothesis that 0νßß decay is mediated by light Majorana neutrinos, this results in an upper limit on the effective Majorana mass of 75-350 meV, depending on the nuclear matrix elements used.

First Results from CUORE: A Search for Lepton Number Violation via 0νßß Decay of

The CUORE experiment, a ton-scale cryogenic bolometer array, recently began operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The array represents a significant advancement in this technology, and in this work we apply it for the first time to a high-sensitivity search for a lepton-number-violating process: ^{130}Te neutrinoless double-beta decay. Examining a total TeO_{2} exposure of 86.3 kg yr, characterized by an effective energy resolution of (7.7±0.5) keV FWHM and a background in the region of interest of (0.014±0.002) counts/(keV kg yr), we find no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Including systematic uncertainties, we place a lower limit on the decay half-life of T_{1/2}^{0ν}(^{130}Te)>1.3×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.); the median statistical sensitivity of this search is 7.0×10^{24} yr. Combining this result with those of two earlier experiments, Cuoricino and CUORE-0, we find T_{1/2}^{0ν}(^{130}Te)>1.5×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.), which is the most stringent limit to date on this decay. Interpreting this result as a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass, we find m_{ßß}<(110-520) meV, where the range reflects the nuclear matrix element estimates employed.

Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay of (130)Te with CUORE-0.

We report the results of a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in a 9.8 kg yr exposure of (130)Te using a bolometric detector array, CUORE-0. The characteristic detector energy resolution and background level in the region of interest are 5.1±0.3 keV FWHM and 0.058±0.004(stat)±0.002(syst)counts/(keV kg yr), respectively. The median 90% C.L. lower-limit half-life sensitivity of the experiment is 2.9×10(24) yr and surpasses the sensitivity of previous searches. We find no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay of (130)Te and place a Bayesian lower bound on the decay half-life, T(1/2)(0ν)>2.7×10(24) yr at 90% C.L. Combining CUORE-0 data with the 19.75 kg yr exposure of (130)Te from the Cuoricino experiment we obtain T(1/2)(0ν)>4.0×10(24) yr at 90% C.L. (Bayesian), the most stringent limit to date on this half-life. Using a range of nuclear matrix element estimates we interpret this as a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass, m(ßß)<270-760 meV.

CALDER: neutrinoless double-beta decay identification in TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers with kinetic inductance detectors.

Next-generation experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay must be sensitive to a Majorana neutrino mass as low as 10[Formula: see text]. CUORE , an array of 988 TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers being commissioned at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, features an expected sensitivity of 50-130[Formula: see text] at 90 % C.L. The background is expected to be dominated by [Formula: see text] radioactivity, and can be in principle removed by detecting the small amount of Cherenkov  light emitted by the [Formula: see text] signal. The Cryogenic wide-Area Light Detectors with Excellent Resolution project aims at developing a small prototype experiment consisting of TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers coupled to high-sensitivity light detectors based on kinetic inductance detectors. The R&D is focused on the light detectors in view of the implementation in a next-generation neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment.

Microwave-induced thermal escape in Josephson junctions.

We investigate, by experiments and numerical simulations, thermal activation processes of Josephson tunnel junctions in the presence of microwave radiation. When the applied signal resonates with the Josephson plasma frequency oscillations, the switching current may become multivalued in a temperature range far exceeding the classical to quantum crossover temperature. Plots of the switching currents traced as a function of the applied signal frequency show very good agreement with the functional forms expected from Josephson plasma frequency dependencies on the bias current. Throughout, numerical simulations of the corresponding thermally driven classical Josephson junction model show very good agreement with the experimental data.

Increasing the bandwidth of resonant gravitational antennas: the case of explorer.

Resonant gravitational wave detectors with an observation bandwidth of tens of hertz are a reality: the antenna Explorer, operated at CERN by the ROG Collaboration, has been upgraded with a new readout. In this new configuration, it exhibits an unprecedented useful bandwidth: in over 55 Hz about its center operating frequency of 919 Hz the spectral sensitivity is better than 10(-20) Hz(-1/2). We describe the detector and its sensitivity and discuss the foreseeable upgrades to even larger bandwidths.

First search for gravitational wave bursts with a network of detectors

We report the initial results from a search for bursts of gravitational radiation by a network of five cryogenic resonant detectors during 1997 and 1998. This is the first significant search with more than two detectors observing simultaneously. No gravitational wave burst was detected. The false alarm rate was lower than 1 per 10(4) yr when three or more detectors were operating simultaneously. The typical threshold was H approximately 4x10(-21) Hz-1 on the Fourier component at approximately 10(3) Hz of the gravitational wave strain amplitude. New upper limits for amplitude and rate of gravitational wave bursts have been set.

Fast new technique for measuring the resonance frequencies of high Q systems.

A technique for measuring the resonance frequencies of an aluminum bar (used as a gravitational antenna) with high accuracy is presented. This method is based on the positive feedback of the bar, and is much faster than the others commonly in use.