King, S.; (2008) Measurement of the double beta decay half-life of 100Mo to 0+1 excited state, and 48Ca to the ground state in the NEMO 3 experiment. Doctoral thesis , University of London.

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Abstract

NEMO 3 is a double beta decay experiment situated in the Frejus tunnel which runs between France and Italy. If neutrinoless double beta decay is observed it will prove the neutrino is a Majorana particle and may potentially become the most sensitive method of measuring the absolute neutrino mass. It would also have huge implications for not only particle physics, but also nuclear physics, astrophysics and cosmology. The study of two-neutrino double beta decay gives us a better understanding of the nuclear models used to calculate the nuclear matrix elements, which are so important in extracting new physics parameters from the neutrinoless double beta decay search. The purpose of this thesis is primarily to report on the measurement of the two neutrino double beta decay of two isotopes, 100Mo and 48Ca, currently inside the NEMO 3 detector. The double decay of 100Mo to the Of excited state of 100Ru is studied as well as the double beta decay of 48Ca to the ground state of 48Ti. The two neutrino half-life measurement for 100Mo is found to be T(0+ * Of) = 5.70lo.82(5*a*0 0.77(syst.) x 1020yrs. This being the first result where all the final states have been measured. For 48Ca, the two neutrino half-life is Ty2(g.s. * g.s.) = 4.44lto.4o(5*a*-) 0.29(syst.) x 1019yrs, which is the worlds most accurate measurement of this decay process. A limit on the neutrinoless double beta decay of 48Ca has also been obtained.

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