Solar neutrino-electron scattering as background limitation for double beta decay

Understand

The background on double beta decay searches due to elastic electron scattering of solar neutrinos of all double beta emitters with Q-value larger than 2 MeV is calculated, taking into account survival probability and flux uncertainties of solar neutrinos.

• This work determines the background level to be [1-2]E-7 counts /keV/kg/yr, depending on the precise Q-value of the double beta emitter.
• It is also shown that the background level increases dramatically if going to lower Q-values.
• Furthermore, studies are done for various detector systems under consideration for next generation experiments.