Speaker
Description
The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) is fundamental for investigating lepton-number violation, probing new physics beyond the Standard Model, and determining whether neutrinos are Majorana particles. CUORE, a cryogenic calorimetric experiment at LNGS, studies 0νββ in $^{130}$Te using 988 TeO₂ crystals, reaching a tonne-scale mass and operating below 15 mK. Since 2017, CUORE has accumulated over 2.5 tonne-years of exposure, constraining 0νββ in $^{130}$Te and achieving one of the most precise two-neutrino double beta decay (2νββ) half-life measurements and a detailed background reconstruction across a broad energy range. These results provide essential nuclear physics benchmarks for 0νββ searches. Building on CUORE’s success, CUPID (CUORE Upgrade with Particle ID) aims to significantly enhance its 0νββ discovery sensitivity to 10$^{27}$ yr in $^{100}$Mo, covering the Inverted Hierarchy of neutrino masses. It will deploy in total 240 kg of $^{100}$Mo in 1596 enriched Li₂MoO₄ crystals. 1710 light detectors with Neganov-Trofimov-Luke amplification will enable simultaneous heat and light readout for enhanced background rejection, particularly against $\alpha$ surface contamination and ββ pileup. CUPID will reuse CUORE’s cryostat and infrastructure. Current efforts focus on detector performance validation, sensitivity studies, and finalizing the experimental design to maximize physics reach. This work presents the latest CUORE results and outlines the key milestones towards CUPID’s realization.
