Search for two-neutrino double-beta decay of 130Te to excited states of 130Xe with CUORE
Date:
The CUORE experiment is a ton-scale bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrinoless double-beta decay (0$\nu\beta\beta$) in the isotope 130-Te. While a discovery of 0νββ would herald new physics, the Standard Model process of two-neutrino double-beta decay (2$\nu\beta\beta$) in 130-Te has been measured in CUORE. In such cases where the isotope decays to an excited state of the daughter, 130-Xe, gammas are emitted leading to events whose energy is spread across multiple crystals. CUORE is currently searching for this decay mode, as understanding the branching ratio and spectral shape for such 2$\nu\beta\beta$ decays to excited states can improve nuclear modelling and help constrain the matrix elements involved in searches for 0$\nu\beta\beta$. This talk will describe the status of and progress towards an improved search for 2$\nu\beta\beta$ decays to excited states with an increased exposure of CUORE as well as additional analysis features. By exploiting the segmented nature of the CUORE detector, the scope of event signatures considered in the search is expanded and further accompanied by an improved efficiency of signal containment.
A PDF of slides is available at this link.