The Majorana project

Abstract

The objective of the Majorana experiment is to study neutrinoless double beta decay ββ(0ν) with an effective Majorana-neutrino mass sensitivity near 100 meV in order to characterize theMajorana nature of the neutrino, the Majorana mass spectrum, and the absolute mass scale. An experimental study of the neutrino mass scale implied by neutrino oscillation results is now technically within our grasp. This exciting physics goal is best pursued using the well-established technique of searching for ββ(0ν) of 76Ge, augmented with recent advances in signal processing and detector design. The Majorana experiment will consist of a large mass of 76Ge in the form of high-resolution intrinsic germanium detectors located deep underground within a low-background shielding environment. Observation of a sharp peak at the ββ endpoint will quantify the ββ(0ν) half-life and thus the effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. © 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.