Final results on $${}^\mathbf{82 }{\hbox {Se}}$$ 82Se double beta decay to the ground state of $${}^\mathbf{82 }{\hbox {Kr}}$$ 82Kr from the NEMO-3 experiment

Abstract

Abstract Using data from the NEMO-3 experiment, we have measured the two-neutrino double beta decay ($$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2νββ ) half-life of $$^{82}$$ 82 Se as $$T_{\smash {1/2}}^{2\nu } \!=\! \left[ 9.39 \pm 0.17\left( \text{ stat }\right) \pm 0.58\left( \text{ syst }\right) \right] \times 10^{19}$$ T1/22ν=9.39±0.17stat±0.58syst×1019 y under the single-state dominance hypothesis for this nuclear transition. The corresponding nuclear matrix element is $$\left| M^{2\nu }\right| = 0.0498 \pm 0.0016$$ M2ν=0.0498±0.0016 . In addition, a search for neutrinoless double beta decay ($$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ ) using 0.93 kg of $$^{82}$$ 82 Se observed for a total of 5.25 y has been conducted and no evidence for a signal has been found. The resulting half-life limit of $$T_{1/2}^{0\nu } > 2.5 \times 10^{23} \,\text{ y } \,(90\%\,\text{ C.L. })$$ T1/20ν>2.5×1023y(90%C.L.) for the light neutrino exchange mechanism leads to a constraint on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $$\langle m_{\nu } \rangle < \left( 1.2{-}3.0\right) \,\text{ eV }$$ ⟨mν⟩<1.2-3.0eV , where the range reflects $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ nuclear matrix element values from different calculations. Furthermore, constraints on lepton number violating parameters for other $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ mechanisms, such as right-handed currents, majoron emission and R-parity violating supersymmetry modes have been set.