A Search for various Double Beta Decay Modes of Cd, Te and Zn Isotopes

Abstract

Various double beta decay modes of Cd, Zn and Te isotopes are explored with the help of CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductor detectors. The data set is splitted in an energy range below 1 MeV having a statistics of 134.5 g$\cdot$d and one above 1 MeV resulting in 532 g$\cdot$d. No signals were observed in all channels under investigation. New improved limits for the neutrinoless double beta decay of Zn70 of $T_{1/2}>1.3\cdot 10^{16}yrs$ (90% CL), the longest standing limit of all double beta isotopes, and 0$\nu {\beta }^{+}$EC of Te120 of $T_{1/2}>2.2\cdot 10^{16}yrs$ (90% CL) are given. For the first time a limit on the half-life of the 2$\nu$ECEC of ${}^{120}$Te of $T_{1/2}>9.4\cdot 10^{15}yrs$ (90% CL) is obtained. In addition, limits on 2$\nu$ECEC for ground state transitions of Cd106, Cd108 and Zn64 are improved. The obtained results even under rough background conditions show the reliability of CdTe semiconductor detectors for rare nuclear decay searches.

Comments: Extended introduction and summary