Study of Double-beta Decay of 150Nd to the First 0+ Excited Level of 150Sm

Two-neutrino 2β decay of 150Nd to the 01+ 740.5-keV excited level of 150Sm has been investigated by using a highly purified 2.381-kg Nd2O3 sample with the help of ultra-low-background gamma spectrometer with 4 HPGe detectors (≈ 255 cm3 each) at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (INFN, Italy). Gamma quanta, expected in cascade after de-excitation of the 01+ (740.5 keV) excited level of 150Sm, have been observed in the coincidence spectra accumulated over 25947 h. The half-life value has been preliminary estimated as T1/2=[ 6.9−1.9+4.0(stat)±1.1(syst) ]×109y. The data taking is in progress to reduce the statistical error.Two-neutrino 2β decay of 150Nd to the 01+ 740.5-keV excited level of 150Sm has been investigated by using a highly purified 2.381-kg Nd2O3 sample with the help of ultra-low-background gamma spectrometer with 4 HPGe detectors (≈ 255 cm3 each) at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (INFN, Italy). Gamma quanta, expected in cascade after de-excitation of the 01+ (740.5 keV) excited level of 150Sm, have been observed in the coincidence spectra accumulated over 25947 h. The half-life value has been preliminary estimated as T1/2=[ 6.9−1.9+4.0(stat)±1.1(syst) ]×109y. The data taking is in progress to reduce the statistical error.