One Year of Evidence for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

Abstract

The present experimental status in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay is reviewed, with emphasis on the first indication for neutrinoless double beta decay found in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment, giving first evidence for lepton number violation and a Majorana nature of the neutrinos. Future perspectives of the field are briefly outlined.

42 pages, latex, 21 figures, To be Published in Indian National Science Academy (INSA) - Special issue: Neutrinos, (2003) eds. D. Indumathi, G. Rajasekaran and M.V.N. Murthy; see also Home Page of Heidelberg Non-Accelerator Particle Physics Group: http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/non_acc/