The "NEXT-100" Experiment: A Xeneon Gas Electroluminicent TPC at the 100 kg-Scale for neutrinoless double beta decay in 136-Xe, and a look at what might be the next NEXT

by David Nygren (SU Fysikum)

Wednesday 16 May 2012, 10:00 → 11:00 Europe/Stockholm

FA31

The Neutrino Experiment Xenon TPC (NEXT) experiment, now beginning construction in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory, Spain, will search for neutrinoless double beta decay in 100 kg of 136-Xe. I will review the design concepts, performance goals, R&D progress, and schedule for NEXT-100. Future experimental sensitivity goals for both WIMP dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches lead to the consideration of ton-scale active masses of xenon, and even much more. The question naturally arises whether both searches can be made in a single xenon-based detector without significant compromise to either. In the coming era of large-scale science goals in the midst of fiscal austerity, however, cost issues will probably dominate many choices. I argue that such a dual-purpose detector deserves our collective attention, and may be possible within the time frame of interest at acceptable cost.