Double-Chooz: a search for Theta13

Abstract

The Double-Chooz experiment goal is to search for a non-vanishing value of the Theta13 neutrino mixing angle. This is the last step to accomplish prior moving towards a new era of precision measurements in the lepton sector. The current best constraint on the third mixing angle comes from the CHOOZ reactor neutrino experiment $\sin(2θ_{13})^{2}<0.2$ (90% C.L., $Δm_{atm}^{2}=2.0$ eV$^{2}$). Double-Chooz will explore the range of $\sin(2θ_{13})^{2}$ from 0.2 to 0.03-0.02, within three years of data taking. The improvement of the CHOOZ result requires an increase in the statistics, a reduction of the systematic error below one percent, and a careful control of the backgrounds. Therefore, Double-Chooz will use two identical detectors, one at 150 m and another at 1.05 km distance from the Chooz nuclear cores. In addition, we will to use the near detector as a ``state of the art&#39;&#39; prototype to investigate the potential of neutrinos for monitoring the civil nuclear power plants. The plan is to start operation with two detectors in 2008, and to reach a sensitivity sin$^{2}$$(2θ_{13})$ of 0.05 in 2009, and 0.03-0.02 in 2011.