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Aalseth CE, Abgrall N, Aguayo E, Alvis SI, Amman M, Arnquist IJ, Avignone FT, Back HO, Barabash AS, Barbeau PS, Barton CJ, Barton PJ, Bertrand FE, Bode T, Bos B, Boswell M, Bradley AW, Brodzinski RL, Brudanin V, Busch M, Buuck M, Caldwell AS, Caldwell TS, Chan YD, Christofferson CD, Chu PH, Collar JI, Combs DC, Cooper RJ, Cuesta C, Detwiler JA, Doe PJ, Dunmore JA, Efremenko Y, Ejiri H, Elliott SR, Fast JE, Finnerty P, Fraenkle FM, Fu Z, Fujikawa BK, Fuller E, Galindo-Uribarri A, Gehman VM, Gilliss T, Giovanetti GK, Goett J, Green MP, Gruszko J, Guinn IS, Guiseppe VE, Hallin AL, Haufe CR, Hehn L, Henning R, Hoppe EW, Hossbach TW, Howe MA, Jasinski BR, Johnson RA, Keeter KJ, Kephart JD, Kidd MF, Knecht A, Konovalov SI, Kouzes RT, LaFerriere BD, Leon J, Lesko KT, Leviner LE, Loach JC, Lopez AM, Luke PN, MacMullin J, MacMullin S, Marino MG, Martin RD, Massarczyk R, McDonald AB, Mei DM, Meijer SJ, Merriman JH, Mertens S, Miley HS, Miller ML, Myslik J, Orrell JL, O'Shaughnessy C, Othman G, Overman NR, Perumpilly G, Pettus W, Phillips DG, Poon AWP, Pushkin K, Radford DC, Rager J, Reeves JH, Reine AL, Rielage K, Robertson RGH, Ronquest MC, Ruof NW, Schubert AG, Shanks B, Shirchenko M, Snavely KJ, Snyder N, Steele D, Suriano AM, Tedeschi D, Tornow W, Trimble JE, Varner RL, Vasilyev S, Vetter K, Vorren K, White BR, Wilkerson JF, Wiseman C, Xu W, Yakushev E, Yaver H, Young AR, Yu CH, Yumatov V, Zhitnikov I, Zhu BX, Zimmermann S. Search for Neutrinoless Double-β Decay in ^{76}Ge with the Majorana Demonstrator. Phys Rev Lett 2018; 120:132502. [PMID: 29694188 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.132502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-β decay in ^{76}Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in ^{76}Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Here we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q_{ββ} and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0_{-2.5}^{+3.1} counts/(FWHM t yr).
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Aalseth
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - N Abgrall
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - E Aguayo
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - S I Alvis
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - M Amman
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - I J Arnquist
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - F T Avignone
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - H O Back
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - A S Barabash
- National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, 117218 Russia
| | - P S Barbeau
- Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - C J Barton
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
| | - P J Barton
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - F E Bertrand
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - T Bode
- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München, 80805 Germany
| | - B Bos
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
| | - M Boswell
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - A W Bradley
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - R L Brodzinski
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - V Brudanin
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia
| | - M Busch
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - M Buuck
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - A S Caldwell
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
| | - T S Caldwell
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - Y-D Chan
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - C D Christofferson
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
| | - P-H Chu
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J I Collar
- Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - D C Combs
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - R J Cooper
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - C Cuesta
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - J A Detwiler
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - P J Doe
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - J A Dunmore
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Yu Efremenko
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916, USA
| | - H Ejiri
- Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - S R Elliott
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J E Fast
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - P Finnerty
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - F M Fraenkle
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - Z Fu
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - B K Fujikawa
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - E Fuller
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | | | - V M Gehman
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - T Gilliss
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - G K Giovanetti
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - J Goett
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - M P Green
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - J Gruszko
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - I S Guinn
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - V E Guiseppe
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - A L Hallin
- Centre for Particle Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - C R Haufe
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - L Hehn
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - R Henning
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - E W Hoppe
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - T W Hossbach
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - M A Howe
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - B R Jasinski
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
| | - R A Johnson
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - K J Keeter
- Department of Physics, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota 57799, USA
| | - J D Kephart
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - M F Kidd
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
- Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505, USA
| | - A Knecht
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - S I Konovalov
- National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, 117218 Russia
| | - R T Kouzes
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - B D LaFerriere
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - J Leon
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - K T Lesko
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - L E Leviner
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - J C Loach
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - A M Lopez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916, USA
| | - P N Luke
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - J MacMullin
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - S MacMullin
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - M G Marino
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - R D Martin
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - R Massarczyk
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - A B McDonald
- Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - D-M Mei
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - S J Meijer
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - J H Merriman
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - S Mertens
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München, 80805 Germany
- Physik Department and Excellence Cluster Universe, Technische Universität, München, 85748 Germany
| | - H S Miley
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - M L Miller
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - J Myslik
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - J L Orrell
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - C O'Shaughnessy
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - G Othman
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - N R Overman
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - G Perumpilly
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
| | - W Pettus
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - D G Phillips
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - A W P Poon
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - K Pushkin
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
| | - D C Radford
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - J Rager
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - J H Reeves
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - A L Reine
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - K Rielage
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - R G H Robertson
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - M C Ronquest
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - N W Ruof
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - A G Schubert
- Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - B Shanks
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - M Shirchenko
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia
| | - K J Snavely
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - N Snyder
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
| | - D Steele
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - A M Suriano
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
| | - D Tedeschi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - W Tornow
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - J E Trimble
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - R L Varner
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - S Vasilyev
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916, USA
| | - K Vetter
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - K Vorren
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - B R White
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J F Wilkerson
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - C Wiseman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - W Xu
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
| | - E Yakushev
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia
| | - H Yaver
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - A R Young
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - C-H Yu
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - V Yumatov
- National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, 117218 Russia
| | - I Zhitnikov
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia
| | - B X Zhu
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - S Zimmermann
- Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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