Objective Neutrinoless double beta decay is a hypothetical, very slow radioactive process whose observation would establish unambiguously that massive neutrinos are Majorana particles --- that is to say, identical to their antiparticles ---, which implies that a new physics scale beyond the Standard Model must exist. Furthermore, it would prove that total lepton number is not a conserved quantity, suggesting that this new physics could also be the origin of the observed asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the Universe.In recent years, many innovative ideas have been put forward to improve the sensitivity of \bbonu\ experiments. In general, these propositions have sought to increase the number of experimental signatures available to reject backgrounds while attempting to use isotopes and detector techniques which can be more easily scaled to large masses.The objective of this project is to realize the NEXT experiment, an innovativedetector based on a high-pressure xenon gas (HPXe) TPC that will run at the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc (LSC), in Spain.Our primary goal is to complete the construction and commissioning of a 150 kg HPXe TPC (NEXT-100) by 2014, and start a physics run in 2015 that can improve the present bound set by the EXO experiment and perhaps discover the Majorana nature of neutrinos. In addition, we will carry out an R\&D program focused in demonstrating the scalability of the technology to the ton scale. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrynoble gasesnatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsneutrinosnatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsleptons Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-AG-PE2 - ERC Advanced Grant - Fundamental constituents of matter Call for proposal ERC-2013-ADG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Host institution AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS EU contribution € 2 791 771,00 Address CALLE SERRANO 117 28006 Madrid Spain See on map Region Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid Activity type Research Organisations Principal investigator Juan José Gomez Cadenas (Prof.) Administrative Contact Guillermo Sanjuanbenito Garcia (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain EU contribution € 2 791 771,00 Address CALLE SERRANO 117 28006 Madrid See on map Region Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid Activity type Research Organisations Principal investigator Juan José Gomez Cadenas (Prof.) Administrative Contact Guillermo Sanjuanbenito Garcia (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data