Determination of Absolute Neutrino Mass Using Quantum Technologies

Find Similar History 13 Claim Ownership Request Data Change Add Favourite

Title
Determination of Absolute Neutrino Mass Using Quantum Technologies

CoPED ID
b31873c7-dc2b-4519-818d-2c4242a1b372

Status
Active


Value
£852,050

Start Date
Feb. 1, 2021

End Date
March 31, 2025

Description

More Like This


The neutrino is the most abundant matter particle in the universe, and yet we do not know how much it weighs. We know that this particle, which carries 99% of the energy released in supernova explosions and has played an important role in the evolution of the early universe, has an anomalously small mass but we also know that it cannot weigh nothing. It is therefore imperative that we measure this, the last unknown mass in the Standard Model of particle physics.

We cannot measure the neutrino mass directly in the laboratory. Rather, we try to constrain as precisely as possible the energy that has gone into creating the neutrino in processes such as nuclear beta-decay. Einstein's famous equation then tells us how to calculate the neutrino mass. Since the neutrino escapes undetected, the experimental task involved in measuring the minimum neutrino energy is actually to measure the maximum energy carried by all of the other particles. The most promising system to use is tritium, in which the proton inside a normal hydrogen nucleus is accompanied by two neutrons. Tritium beta-decays with a half-life of 12.3 years and a very small decay energy of 18.6 kilo-electron-volts; the fact that this decay energy is so small makes it uniquely sensitive to the tiny neutrino mass.

We will need to develop techniques for trapping very large populations of tritium and measuring with exquisite sensitivity the energy of beta-decay electrons. As a first step we will use deuterium, which is much easier to handle than radioactive tritium. We will magnetically decelerate beams of deuterium into very well characterised magnetic traps. Electrons generated inside the trap will undergo circular motion and in so doing will emit microwave radiation. We will develop the quantum sensors that are capable of detecting the vanishingly low-power signals that are generated in this way.

The ultimate aim of this project is to show that we have, in principle, the technologies required for a much larger experiment that would have sensitivity to all possible values of the neutrino mass. Such an experiment could perhaps be hosted in the UK where, at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, world-leading facilities for handling large tritium inventories exist and are being further developed.


More Information

Potential Impact:
We do not anticipate any direct impact from the Warwick responsibilities on this project beyond academic beneficiaries impacts listed in that section. Should any of the modelling tasks at Warwick lead to potential impact then we follow the detailed pathways as described in the Pathways to Impact statement. Impact on training undergraduates is however already noticeable. The mere recent rumor of a quantum technology project at Warwick already leads to requests for summer projects from undergraduates. The outreach potential and potential training impact is hence considered significant.

Yorck Ramachers PI_PER
Tom Goffrey COI_PER
John Back COI_PER

Subjects by relevance
  1. Neutrinos
  2. Particle physics
  3. Physics
  4. Nuclear energy
  5. Elementary particles
  6. Particles (matter)
  7. Standard model of particle physics
  8. Mass (physics)
  9. Measurement

Extracted key phrases
  1. Absolute Neutrino Mass
  2. Minimum neutrino energy
  3. Tiny neutrino mass
  4. Small decay energy
  5. Determination
  6. Quantum Technologies
  7. Abundant matter particle
  8. Small mass
  9. Maximum energy
  10. Large tritium inventory
  11. Potential training impact
  12. Unknown mass
  13. Tritium beta
  14. Decay electron
  15. Particle physic

Related Pages

UKRI project entry

UK Project Locations