Experiments for the absolute neutrino mass measurement

Abstract

Experimental results and perspectives of different methods to measure the absolute mass scale of neutrinos are briefly reviewed. The mass sensitivities from cosmological observations, double beta decay searches and single beta decay spectroscopy differ in sensitivity and model dependance. Next generation experiments in the three fields reach the sensitivity for the lightest mass eigenstate of $m_1<0.2eV$, which will finally answer the question if neutrino mass eigenstates are degenerate. This sensitivity is also reached by the only model-independent approach of single beta decay (KATRIN experiment). For higher sensitivities on cost of model-dependance the neutrinoless double beta decay search and cosmological observation have to be applied. Here, in the next decade sensitivities are approached with the potential to test inverted hierarchy models.