The Effect of Cancellation in Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

Understand

In light of recent experimental results, we carefully analyze the effects of interference in neutrinoless double beta decay, when more than one mechanism is operative.

• We assume a complete cancellation is at work for $^{136}\rm{Xe}$, and find its implications on the half-life of other isotopes, such as $^{76}\rm{Ge}$.
• For definiteness, we consider the role of light and heavy sterile neutrinos.
• In this case, the effective Majorana mass parameter can be redefined to take into account all contributions and its value gets suppressed.