Discovering neutrinoless double beta with NEXT-100

NEXT is a new experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay processes to be operated at the LSC laboratory (Canfranc, Spain). The apparatus is a high pressure gas xenon chamber (HPGXe) filled with 100-150 kg of gas Xenon enriched at 90% in the ¹³⁶Xe isotope. NEXT proposes a novel detection technique called SOFT (Separated Optimized Function TPC) which optimizes both the energy resolution and the measurement of the topological signature of the event. First results from NEXT-DEMO prototype operating at IFIC (Valencia) measures a reso- lution of 1.92% FWHM at 511 keV that extrapolates to 0.87% FWHM at Qββ. DEMO prototype also demonstrates the tracking capabilities of a SiPM array near the amplification region. NEXT- DEMO results are a full demonstration of the NEXT technology and capabilities.