On ${}^{146}$Nd, ${}^{144}$Sm and other unexplored 2$\beta$ decay isotopes

Abstract

${}^{146}$Nd is one of only four (over a total of 35 existing) 2${\beta }^{-}$ decay isotope candidates whose half-lives currently lack experimental limits. The $\alpha$ activity of the ${}^{146}$Sm daughter nuclide allows placement of limits on the 2$\beta$ decay using the ${}^{146}$Nd/${}^{142}$Nd abundance ratio ($T^{ββ}_{1/2} \gsim 3 \times 10^9$ yr) or direct search for ${}^{146}$Sm with accelerator mass spectrometers ($T^{ββ}_{1/2} \gsim 4.5 \times 10^{19}$ yr). With a similar approach, a modest ($\sim$ Gyr) first limit on half-lives for the other unexplored $2\beta$ unstable isotopes and competitive limits (few $10^{13}$yr) for ${}^{98}$Mo and ${}^{122}$Sn are also given. Finally, it is shown how the limit $T^{0νεβ^+}_{1/2} \gsim 10^{15}$ yr for the unexplored ${}^{144}$Sm $0\nu \epsilon {\beta }^{+}$ decay may be obtained from the data of a GSO crystal scintillator.

5 pages, 1 figure

References in corpus (3)

• Status and Future of Nuclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: A Review
• Average and recommended half-life values for two neutrino double beta decay
• Investigation of 2$\beta$ Decay of ${}^{116}$Cd with the Help of Enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ Crystal Scintillators

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Neutrinoless Double-Electron Capture
• First direct search for $2\epsilon$ and $\epsilon {\beta }^{+}$ decay of ${}^{144}$Sm and $2{\beta }^{-}$ decay of ${}^{154}$Sm