The NEXT experiment

NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) is an experiment to search neutrinoless double beta decay processes (ßß0¿ßß0¿). The isotope chosen by NEXT is 136Xe. The NEXT technology is based in the use of time projection chambers operating at a typical pressure of 15 bar and using electroluminescence to amplify the signal (HPXe). The main advantages of the experimental technique are: a) excellent energy resolution; b) the ability to reconstruct the trajectory of the two electrons emitted in the decays, a unique feature of the HPXe which further contributes to the suppression of backgrounds; c) scalability to large masses; and d) the possibility to reduce the background to negligible levels thanks to the barium tagging technology (BaTa). The NEXT roadmap was designed in four stages: i) Demonstration of the HPXe technology with prototypes deploying a mass of natural xenon in the range of 1 kg; ii) Characterisation of the backgrounds to the ßß0¿ßß0¿ signal and measurement of the ßß2¿ßß2¿ signal with the NEW detector, deploying 10 kg of enriched xenon and operating at the LSC; iii) Search for ßß0¿ßß0¿ decays with the NEXT-100 detector, which deploys 100 kg of enriched xenon; iv) Search for ßß0¿ßß0¿ decays with the BEXT detector, which will deploy masses in the range of the ton and will introduce two additional handles, only possible in a HPXe: a) A magnetic field, capable of further enhancing the topological signal of NEXT; and b) barium-tagging (a technique pioneered by the EXO experiment which is also accessible to NEXT). The first stage of NEXT has been successfully completed during the period 2009–2013. The prototypes NEXT-DEMO (IFIC) and NEXT-DBDM (Berkeley) were built and operated for more than two years. These apparatuses have demonstrated the main features of the technology. The experiment is currently developing its second phase. The NEW detector is being constructed during 2014 and will operate in the LSC during 2015. The NEXT-100 detector will be built and commissioned during 2016 and 2017 and will start data taking in 2018. NEXT-100 could discover ßß0¿ßß0¿ processes if the period of the decay is equal or less than 6×10256×1025 year. The fourth phase of the experiment (BEXT) could start in 2020

The NEXT double beta decay experiment

NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) is a neutrinoless double- beta (ßß0¿) decay experiment at Laboratorio Subterra ´neo de Canfranc (LSC). It is an electroluminescent Time Projection Chamber filled with high pressure 136Xe gas with separated function capabilities for calorimetry and tracking. Energy resolution and background suppression are the two key features of any neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. NEXT has both good energy resolution (< 1% FWHM) and an extra handle for background identification provided by track reconstruction. We expect a background rate of 4 × 10-4 counts keV-1 kg-1 yr-1, and a sensitivity to the Majorana neutrino mass of between 80–160 meV (depending on NME) after a run of 3 effective years of the 100 kg scale NEXT-100 detector. The initial phase of NEXT-100, called NEW, is currently being commissioned at LSC. It will validate the NEXT background rate expectations and will make first measurements of the two neutrino ßß2¿ mode of 136Xe. Furthermore, the NEXT technique can be extrapolated to the tonne scale, thus allowing the full exploration of the inverted hierarchy of neutrino masses. These proceedings review NEXT R&D results, the status of detector commissioning at LSC and the NEXT physics case

Backgrounds and sensitivity of the NEXT double beta decay experiment

NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) is a neutrinoless double-beta (ßß0¿ßß0¿) decay experiment that will operate at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC). It is an electroluminescent high-pressure gaseous xenon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with separate read-out planes for calorimetry and tracking. Energy resolution and background suppression are the two key features of any neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. NEXT has both good energy resolution (<1% FWHM) at the Q value of 136Xe and an extra handle for background identification provided by track reconstruction. With the background model of NEXT, based on the detector simulation and the evaluation of the detector radiopurity, we can determine the sensitivity to a measurement of the ßß2¿ßß2¿ mode in NEW and to a ßß0¿ßß0¿ search in NEXT100. In this way we can predict the background rate of 5×10-4 counts/(keV kg yr)5×10-4 counts/(keV kg yr), and a sensitivity to the Majorana neutrino mass down to 100 meV after a 5-years run of NEXT100