Setting the Stage for LEGEND

GERDA & MAJORANA-DEMONSTRATOR

 LEGEND is building on the success of GERDA and MAJORANA. GERDA and the MAJORANA-DEMONSTRATOR experiments use germanium detectors made from isotropically modified material enriched to ~85% 76Ge. These two leading experiments bring together their long experience in the field to help build LEGEND...

GERDA

GERDA


GERDA

GERDA

MAJORANA-DEMONSTRATOR

MAJORANA


MAJORANA-DEMONSTRATOR

MAJORANA

Experimental picture
Brief explanation

ββ decay experiments search for the following nuclear decays

 

(A, Z) → ( A, Z+2 ) + 2e− + 2 ν'e

 

where single β decay is forbidden. The ββ decay may be the only possible decay mode for isotopes with even numbers of both protons and neutrons for which β decay is forbidden or strongly suppressed. The 0νββ reaction

 

(A,Z) → ( A, Z+2 ) + 2e−

 

is only possible if lepton number is violated. Many possible lepton number violating interactions might mediate ββ, but the most commonly considered is the lepton number violation that would arise from massive Majorana neutrinos.

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