arXiv · 2508.17413
Sensitivity of neutrinoless double beta decays from a combined analysis of ground and excited states
Abstract
Next-generation neutrinoless double-beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay experiments, with projected half-life sensitivities approaching $10^{28}$ years, aim to probe the entire parameter space of the inverted neutrino mass ordering in the light-neutrino-exchange scenario. However, this reach remains uncertain by the substantial model dependence of the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs). In this work, we propose a strategy based on a combined analysis of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decays to both the ground state and the first excited $0^+$ state of the daughter nucleus. We show that such a multi-channel approach can significantly enhance experimental sensitivity, depending on the underlying NME predictions. This method is particularly well-suited for large liquid xenon detectors, such as the proposed PandaX-xT and XLZD experiments, which can efficiently identify transitions of $^{136}$Xe to excited states. Our results highlight the importance of exploiting multiple decay channels in future $0\nu\beta\beta$ searches to maximize their discovery potential.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
C. R. Ding, K. Han, S. B. Wang, J. M. Yao. 2025-08-24. Sensitivity of neutrinoless double beta decays from a combined analysis of ground and excited states. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2026.140623
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.