A search for O nu beta beta decay of Sn-124 with tin-loaded liquid scintillator

摘要

A search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of Sn-124 was carried out using the tin-loaded liquid scintillator for an active source-detector technique. Tin (32.6%) in weight was successfully loaded into the liquid scintillator, and light output was as high as 57% of the unloaded liquid scintillator. A tin-loaded liquid scintillator with 1.1 l volume was installed at the 700 m underground laboratory in YangYang. and data were taken for 5285 h. No evidence for the O nu beta beta decay was found and a lower limit on the Sn-124 half-life was obtained to be 2.0 x 10(19) year with 90% C.L The new limit represents a significant improvement with respect to those previously available for Sn-124.