Project description
Advanced detectors could transform neutrino mass measurements
Measuring the mass of neutrinos – the most mysterious known particles in the universe – is the key to advancing particle physics and extending the Standard Model. The ERC-funded ECHo-LE project aims to measure the effective electron neutrino mass more precisely than ever. Researchers will use radioactive Ho-163 atoms inside 20 000 advanced detectors to collect high resolution data. After the preparation phase, the experiment will run for at least two years. The goal is to capture over 10 billion Ho-163 events and, with that, achieve unprecedented sensitivity to the effective electron neutrino mass below 1 eV/c2. ECHo-LE results will help improve our understanding of neutrinos and pave the way for future experiments to finally determine the neutrino mass scale.
Objective
The discovery of the neutrino mass scale is a milestone for shaping the extension of the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Experiments looking at the endpoint region of low energy beta decay and electron capture spectra benefit from a clear signature of massive neutrinos which only depends on energy and momentum conservation. Along with the well-established use of tritium, as in the KATRIN experiment where the present best limit of 0.45 eV at 95% CL was reached, two collaborations, ECHo and HOLMES have pioneered the use of Ho-163. In both experiments, low temperature microcalorimeters enclosing the Ho-163 source are used. Both collaborations have demonstrated the suitability of Ho-163 for a large experiment. The project ECHo-LE (ECHo-Large Experiment) will be built on the hardware and on solid results obtained with the ECHo experiment and will feature large arrays of metallic magnetic calorimeters where each detector encloses Ho-163 for an activity of 10 Bq. A new cryogenic multiplexer which ensures a homogeneous performance will be used for the readout. On-line data reduction and will be developed to allow for a limited saving space. Following the data analysis developed for the ECHo experiment, new fitting procedures will be tested to reduce the effects of systematic uncertainties. The experiment, consisting of 20000 detectors with gaussian detector response having full width at half maximum of less than 5 eV, will be built in the first two years of the project. After installation, the experiment will run for at least two years. The goal is to acquire more than 10 billion Ho-163 events. The analysis of the data will allow for significantly improving the knowledge of the Ho-163 spectral shape parameters and clearly search for an effect of a finite neutrino mass. ECHo-LE will be the first Ho-163 based experiment able to reach sub-eV/c2 sensitivity on the effective electron neutrino mass and set the basis for the ultimate Ho-163 based experiment.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-ADG
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69117 Heidelberg
Germany
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