TeO$_2$ bolometers with Cherenkov signal tagging: towards next-generation neutrinoless double beta decay experiments

Understand

CUORE, an array of 988 TeO$_2$ bolometers, is about to be one of the most sensitive experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay.

• Its sensitivity could be further improved by removing the background from $\alpha$ radioactivity.
• A few years ago it has been pointed out that the signal from $\beta$s can be tagged by detecting the emitted Cherenkov light, which is not produced by $\alpha$s.
• In this paper we confirm this possibility.