Title: Bolometer Design For Detecting Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in a Xenon Crystal

Physics Major: Michael DeMaria

Abstract: Neutrinos have become a popular topic recently now that we are getting better at detecting them. They are neutral elementary particles with very small mass. Their absolute mass and whether they are their own anti-particle or not is still unknown. If a specific nuclear reaction known as neutrinoless double-beta decay exists, we will know that neutrinos are their own anti-particle. This may be measured by using a detector known as a bolometer. A bolometer is a low temperature thermal detector. My research project is to create a model of the thermal characteristics of a bolometer so that we may build one in the future. This will be used to detect double-beta decay to see if neutrinoless double-beta decay exists.