Large-scale calculations of the double-β decay of 76Ge, 130Te, 136Xe, and 150Nd in the deformed self-consistent Skyrme quasiparticle random-phase approximation

We use the axially deformed Skyrme quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) together with the SkM* energy-density functional, both as originally presented and with the time-odd part adjusted to reproduce the Gamow-Teller resonance energy in Pb-208, to calculate the matrix elements that govern the neutrinoless double-beta decay of Ge-76, Te-130, Xe-136, and Nd-150. Our matrix elements in Te-130 and Xe-136 are significantly smaller than those of previous QRPA calculations, primarily because of the difference in pairing or deformation between the initial and the final nuclei. In Ge-76 and Nd-150, our results are similar to those of less computationally intensive QRPA calculations. We suspect the Ge-76 result, however, because we are forced to use a spherical ground state, even though our mean-field theory indicates a deformed minimum.