https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2017-12266-9
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
New limit for the half-life of double beta decay of 94Zr to the first excited state of 94Mo
1
Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 400 005, Mumbai, India
2
Pelletron Linac Facility, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 400 005, Mumbai, India
3
Department of Physics, University of Lucknow, 226007, Lucknow, India
4
Institute for Nuclear Research, MSP 03028, Kyiv, Ukraine
5
India-based Neutrino Observatory, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 400 005, Mumbai, India
6
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, 400 094, Mumbai, India
7
Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, 140 001, Rupnagar, India
8
Technical Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400 085, Mumbai, India
* e-mail: nanal@tifr.res.in
Received:
17
November
2016
Accepted:
28
March
2017
Published online:
24
April
2017
Neutrinoless double beta decay is a phenomenon of fundamental interest in particle physics. The decay rates of double beta decay transitions to the excited states can provide input for Nuclear Transition Matrix Element calculations for the relevant two neutrino double beta decay process. It can be useful as supplementary information for the calculation of Nuclear Transition Matrix Element for the neutrinoless double beta decay process. In the present work, double beta decay of 94Zr to the 
excited state of 94Mo at 871.1 keV is studied using a low background 
cm3 HPGe detector. No evidence of this decay was found with a 232 g. y exposure of natural zirconium. The lower half-life limit obtained for the double beta decay of 94Zr to the 
excited state of 94Mo is 
y at 90% C.L., an improvement by a factor of 
over the existing experimental limit at 90% C.L. The sensitivity is estimated to be 
y at 90% C.L. using the Feldman-Cousins method.
© SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2017
