Simultaneous Measurement of the Half-Life and Spectral Shape of ^{115}In β Decay with an Indium Iodide Cryogenic Calorimeter

Abstract

Current bounds on the neutrino Majorana mass are affected by significant uncertainties in the nuclear calculations for neutrinoless double-beta decay. A key issue for a data-driven improvement of the nuclear theory is the actual value of the axial coupling constant g_{A}, which can be investigated through forbidden β decays. We present the first measurement of the 4th-forbidden β decay of ^{115}In with a cryogenic calorimeter based on indium iodide. Exploiting the enhanced spectrum-shape method for the first time to this isotope, our study accurately determines simultaneously spectral shape, g_{A}, and half-life. The interacting shell model, which best fits our data, indicates a half-life for this decay at T_{1/2}=(5.26±0.06)×10^{14} yr.