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Searching for BSM Neutrino Physics with Phase-III of the BeEST Experiment

ORAL

Abstract

The Beryllium Electron-capture in Superconducting Tunnel Junctions (BeEST) experiment aims to detect signatures of heavy neutrino mass eigenstates in the Beryllium-7 (7Be) electron capture process. This is achieved by precisely measuring the nuclear recoil energy of the 7Li daughter atom following the momentum "kick" from the neutrino using a superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) sensor. In Phase III, the BeEST has expanded to include a 32-pixel array detector and has increased the implanted Be-7 dose. This talk presents the current progress of the BeEST Phase-III. We detail the enhancements in Be-7 implantation techniques and the newly adopted analysis methods designed to minimize systematic errors. We will also discuss the projected sensitivity of Phase III.

* The BeEST experiment is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (10.37807/GBMF11571), the DOE-SC Office of Nuclear Physics under Award Numbers DE-SC0021245 and DE-FG02-93ER40789, and the LLNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development program through Grants No. 19-FS-027 and No. 20-LW-006. TRIUMF receives federal funding via a contribution agreement with the National Research Council of Canada. The theoretical work was performed as part of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) Projects No. 17FUN02 MetroMMC and No. 20FUN09 PrimA-LTD. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52- 07NA27344.

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Presenters

  • In Wook Kim

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Authors

  • In Wook Kim

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory