Event Details

Neutrino-less double beta-decay mode can only occur if the neutrino has non-zero mass and the neutrino and antineutrino are identical. The discovery of neutrino oscillations has guaranteed a non-zero neutrino mass, and also establishes a target range of desired sensitivity. Recent results establish lifetime limits short by a factor of about 100 of the desired sensitivity. New search techniques for the neutrinoless decay mode, such as the use of gas-phase xenon, pursued by the NEXT collaboration, could possibly span the possible neutrino mass range if the mass ordering is inverted. I will present a personal perspective on current experimental aspirations in the international context. A ‘discovery class’ experiment requires a ton-scale active mass and background levels reduced by more than two orders of magnitude. Is this technically possible? For the US, an opportunity appears to exist in the use of gas-phase xenon with development of new methods for background reduction. The elusive neutrino may yet provide more surprises, even insight as to why there is something, rather than nothing.