CUORE/CUORE-0 and Majorana: Next Generation Double-Beta Decay Experiments

CUORE/CUORE-0 和 Majorana：下一代双 Beta 衰变实验

• 批准号: 1202950
• 负责人: Frank Avignone
• 金额: $ 38.41万
• 依托单位: University South Carolina Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-05-01 至 2014-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1202950&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CUORE; Majorana; Next; Generation; Double

The intellectual merit of this award is based on the fact that a sensitive search for neutrino-less nuclear double-beta decay is the only practical way to determine if neutrinos are Majorana particles (their own antiparticles). This exotic decay is the most sensitive test of lepton-number conservation, which is an important symmetry in elementary particle physics. In fact, if neutrinos are Majorana particles, an accurate measurement of the beta-decay half-life would yield the effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. The laboratory observation and measurement of such a decay would be truly transformative of elementary particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology.This award provides base support for a team working on two neutrino-less double-beta decay experiments: USC has a major task for CUORE (using Tellurium-130) at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). The PI is the U.S. Coordinator for the construction of CUORE-0, which will operate in the CUORICINO cryostat and yield physics beyond that of CUORICINO, the precursor experiment to CUORE. USC also leads a major Task in the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR R&D (using Germanium-76). The PI is responsible for the procurement of enriched 76-Germanium Oxide, its reduction to metal, zone refinement to detector quality metal, and reprocessing of scrap material. He was responsible for building the facility for the Germanium-processing and is in charge of its operation.A broader impact would be an important contribution to cosmology. Another is, and has been, new detector technology for National and Homeland security. A third broader impact is new cryogenic and Germanium-detector technology for other basic and applied sciences. CUORE is yielding the new technology of large cryogenic detectors.

这个奖项的学术价值是基于这样一个事实，即对不含中微子的核双β衰变的敏感搜索是确定中微子是否是马约拉纳粒子（它们自己的反粒子）的唯一实用方法。这种奇异的衰变是对轻子数守恒最敏感的检验，而轻子数守恒是基本粒子物理学中一个重要的对称性。事实上，如果中微子是马约拉纳粒子，对β衰变半衰期的精确测量将得出电子中微子的有效马约拉纳质量。对这种衰变的实验室观察和测量将真正改变基本粒子物理学、天体物理学和宇宙学。该奖项为研究两个无中微子双β衰变实验的团队提供了基础支持：南加州大学在格兰萨索国家实验室（LNGS）有一个主要的CUORE（使用碲-130）任务。PI是建造CUORE-0的美国协调员，它将在CUORICINO低温恒温器中运行，并产生超越CUORE前体实验CUORICINO的物理效果。南加州大学还领导了MAJORANA演示器研发（使用锗-76）的主要任务。PI负责采购浓缩的76氧化锗，将其还原为金属，区域精炼以检测高质量的金属，并对废料进行再处理。他负责建造锗处理设施，并负责其运营。更广泛的影响将是对宇宙学的重要贡献。另一个是国家和国土安全的新探测技术。第三个更广泛的影响是用于其他基础科学和应用科学的新的低温和锗探测器技术。CUORE正在产生大型低温探测器的新技术。