Theory Meets Experiments
"Neutrinoless double beta decay: the experimental programme and its fundamental and nuclear theory connections"

Abstract

Neutrinoless double-beta decay is a Standard Model (SM) forbidden process which allows for a transition of a parent nucleus into a nucleus with proton number larger by two units, and the simultaneous emission of two electrons. Its observation would have fundamental implications for neutrino physics (because, from measurements, one can extract fundamental neutrino mass parameters) and, more in general, for theories beyond the SM. The aim of the school is two-fold: on the theory side, we will aim to supply the theoretical tools to understand this process, to discuss the implications of various beyond the SM theories as well as of the nuclear physics problems that affect the predictions of the decay half-life. On the experimental side attendants will be given an in-depth description of the current experimental situation for 0νββ and, more in general, will see an example at work of semiconducting diodes, bolometers, read-out set-ups for noble liquid scintillators. We will also show how we deal with experimental issues related to improving the sensitivity for a very rare process in underground laboratories, particularly radiogenic and cosmogenic backgrounds, and the way current and future experiments intend to mitigate their effect.