Updated and novel limits on double beta decay and dark matter-induced processes in platinum

B. Broerman; M. Laubenstein; S. S. Nagorny; S. Nisi; N. Song; A. C. Vincent

doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-11510-1

2023 Impact factor 4.2

Particles and Fields

Open Access

Eur. Phys. J. C (2023) 83: 398
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-11510-1

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Updated and novel limits on double beta decay and dark matter-induced processes in platinum

B. Broerman¹^a, M. Laubenstein², S. S. Nagorny¹^,3, S. Nisi², N. Song⁴^,5 and A. C. Vincent¹^,3^,6

¹ Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, Queen’s University, K7L 3N6, Kingston, ON, Canada
² INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, 67100, Assergi, Italy
³ Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, K7L 3N6, Kingston, ON, Canada
⁴ Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZL, Liverpool, UK
⁵ Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
⁶ Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, N2L 2Y5, Waterloo, ON, Canada

^a broerman@owl.phy.queensu.ca

Received: 12 October 2022
Accepted: 14 April 2023
Published online: 12 May 2023

Abstract

A 510 day long-term measurement of a 45.3 g platinum foil acting as the sample and high voltage contact in an ultra-low-background high purity germanium detector was performed at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy). The data was used for a detailed study of double beta decay modes in natural platinum isotopes. Limits are set in the range $O (10^{14} - 10^{19})$ ${\mathcal {O}}(10^{14}{-} 10^{19})$ years (90% C.L.) for several double beta decay transitions to excited states confirming, and partially extending existing limits. The highest sensitivity of the measurement, greater than $10^{19}$ $10^{19}$ years, was achieved for the two neutrino and neutrinoless double beta decay modes of the isotope $^{198}$ $^{198}$ Pt. Additionally, novel limits for inelastic dark matter scattering on $^{195}$ $^{195}$ Pt are placed up to mass splittings of approximately 500 keV. We analyze several techniques to extend the sensitivity and propose a few approaches for future medium-scale experiments with platinum-group elements.

© The Author(s) 2023

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