Neutrinoless double beta decay: 2015 review

Understand

The discovery of neutrino masses through the observation of oscillations boosted the importance of neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$).

• In this paper, we review the main features of this process, underlining its key role both from the experimental and theoretical point of view.
• In particular, we contextualize the $0\nu\beta\beta$ in the panorama of lepton-number violating processes, also assessing some possible particle physics mechanisms mediating the process.
• Since the $0\nu\beta\beta$ existence is correlated with neutrino masses, we also review the state-of-art of the theoretical understanding of neutrino masses.