Abstract
The determination of the absolute scale of the neutrino masses is one of the most challenging present questions in particle physics. The most stringent limit, \(m(\bar{\nu }_{\mathrm {e}})< 2\) eV, was achieved for the electron anti-neutrino mass. Different approaches are followed to reach a sensitivity on neutrino masses in the sub-eV range. Among them, experiments exploring the beta decay or electron capture of suitable nuclides can provide information on the electron neutrino mass value. We present the electron capture \(^{163}\)Ho experiment ECHo, which aims to investigate the electron neutrino mass in the sub-eV range by means of the analysis of the calorimetrically measured energy spectrum following electron capture in \(^{163}\)Ho. A high precision and high statistics spectrum will be measured with arrays of metallic magnetic calorimeters. We discuss some of the essential aspects of ECHo to reach the proposed sensitivity: detector optimization and performance, multiplexed readout, \(^{163}\)Ho source production and purification, as well as a precise theoretical and experimental parameterization of the calorimetric EC spectrum including in particular the value of \(Q_{\mathrm {EC}}\). We present preliminary results obtained with a first prototype of single channel detectors as well as a first 64-pixel chip with integrated micro-wave SQUID multiplexer, which will already allow to investigate \(m(\nu _{\mathrm {e}})\) in the eV range.
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Gastaldo, L., Blaum, K., Doerr, A. et al. The Electron Capture \(^{163}\)Ho Experiment ECHo. J Low Temp Phys 176, 876–884 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-014-1187-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-014-1187-4