The quest to understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe has been ongoing for centuries. In recent years, scientists have turned their focus towards neutrinoless double beta decay, a rare nuclear process that could hold the key to unlocking some of the biggest mysteries of our universe. The AMoRE experiment, using molybdenum-100 as its target material, has made remarkable progress in refining the limits of this elusive process. With the successful completion of AMoRE-I and the development of AMoRE-II, the scientific community is on the brink of a major breakthrough.
The AMoRE (Advanced Mo-based Rare-process Experiment) collaboration is an international effort, involving scientists from Russia, Korea, and the United States, with the primary goal of detecting neutrinoless double beta decay. This process is hypothesized to occur when an atom emits two electrons and two antineutrinos, with no neutrinos being emitted in the process. This would violate the long-held belief that the number of leptons (electrons and neutrinos) is always conserved in nuclear processes, and could help explain the prevalence of matter over antimatter in the universe.
The first phase of the AMoRE experiment, AMoRE-I, was conducted at the Ie-Raon underground laboratory in South Korea. Using molybdenum-100 as its target material, AMoRE-I achieved impressive results by setting a new upper limit on the decay half-life. This was a significant improvement over previous experiments, and it demonstrated the effectiveness of using molybdenum-100 in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay.
However, despite the success of AMoRE-I, no clear signal of the decay was observed. This led the AMoRE collaboration to embark on the next phase of their research – AMoRE-II. This phase is currently being developed at the Yangyang underground laboratory in Korea and is expected to begin operations in the near future.
AMoRE-II will feature an enhanced detection system, with 2000 crystals of molybdenum-100 being used as the target material. These crystals will be stacked in a cylindrical shape, allowing for a larger target mass and increased sensitivity to detect the rare signals of neutrinoless double beta decay. In addition, AMoRE-II will also incorporate advanced techniques such as pulse shape discrimination and active backgrounds suppression to reduce any potential noise in the data and increase the chances of detecting the decay.
The development of AMoRE-II at the Yangyang laboratory is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the AMoRE collaboration. The laboratory, located at a depth of 700 meters, provides the ideal environment for conducting such sensitive experiments. Its low levels of background radiation greatly minimize any interference with the data, allowing for more accurate results.
The potential implications of detecting neutrinoless double beta decay cannot be overstated. Not only would it provide valuable insights into the nature of neutrinos, but it could also help us understand the underlying mechanisms behind the formation of matter in our universe. The success of AMoRE-II has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of particle physics and astrophysics, and bring us one step closer to solving some of the most profound mysteries of our universe.
In addition to the scientific advancements, the AMoRE collaboration has also made significant contributions to the development of new technologies. The use of molybdenum-100 as a target material has paved the way for future experiments, and the advanced detection techniques utilized in AMoRE-II could have far-reaching applications in fields such as medical imaging and security systems.
The search for neutrinoless double beta decay has captured the imagination of scientists for decades. The progress made by the AMoRE experiment, with its refined limits and enhanced detection systems, has brought us closer than ever before to uncovering this rare nuclear process. As we eagerly await the start of operations for AMoRE-II, we can only imagine the groundbreaking discoveries that lie ahead and the endless possibilities that they could unlock for the future of humankind.
