On the resonant neutrinoless double-electron-capture decay of 136Ce

The double-electron-capture Q value for the 136Ce decay to 136Ba has been determined at JYFLTRAP. The measured value 2378.53(27) keV excludes the energy degeneracy with the 0+ excited state of the decay daughter 136Ba at 2315.32(7) keV in a resonant 0νECEC decay by 11.67 keV. The new Q value differs from the old adopted value 2419(13) keV (Atomic Mass Evaluation 2003) by 40 keV and is 50 times more precise. Our calculations show that the precise Q value renders the resonant 0νECEC decay of 136Ce undetectable by the future underground detectors. We measured also the double-β decay Q value of 136Xe to be 2457.86(48) keV which agrees well with the value 2457.83(37) keV measured at the Florida State University.