Nuclear matrix elements for double-β decay

Background: Direct determination of the neutrino mass through double-beta decay is at the present time one of the most important areas of experimental and theoretical research in nuclear and particle physics. Purpose: We calculate nuclear matrix elements for the extraction of the average neutrino mass in neutrinoless double-beta decay. Methods: The microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2) is used. Results: Nuclear matrix elements in the closure approximation are calculated for Ca-48, Ge-76, Se-82, Zr-96, Mo-100, Pd-110, Cd-116, Sn-124, Te-128, Te-130, Nd-148, Nd-150, Sm-154, Gd-160, and Pt-198 decay. Conclusions: Realistic predictions for the expected half-lives in neutrinoless double-beta decay with light and heavy neutrino exchange in terms of neutrino masses are made and limits are set from current experiments. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.014315