Development of holmium-163 electron-capture spectroscopy with transition-edge sensors

Abstract

Calorimetric decay energy spectroscopy of electron-capture-decaying isotopes is a promising method to achieve the sensitivity required for electron neutrino mass measurement. The very low total nuclear decay energy (QEC < 3 keV) and short half-life (4570 y) of 163Ho make it attractive for high-precision electron capture spectroscopy (ECS) near the kinematic endpoint, where the neutrino momentum goes to zero. In the ECS approach, an electron-capture-decaying isotope is embedded inside a microcalorimeter designed to capture and measure the energy of all the decay radiation except that of the escaping neutrino. We have developed a complete process for proton-irradiation-based isotope production, isolation, and purification of 163Ho. We have developed transition-edge sensors for this measurement and methods for incorporating 163Ho into high-resolution microcalorimeters, and have measured the electron-capture spectrum of 163Ho. We present our work in these areas and discuss the measured spectrum and its comparison to current theory.