Search for heavy neutral leptons in π+ decays to positrons

The NA62 Collaboration

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119

Search for heavy neutral leptons in π⁺ decays to positrons

The NA62 Collaboration

University of Birmingham
LNF-INFN
TRIUMF
Université du Sud Toulon-Var
Technical University of Munich
Johannes Gutenberg University
European Organization for Nuclear Research
University of Würzburg
European XFEL GmbH
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
University of Rome
INFN Sezione di Napoli
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”
University of Liverpool
Gran Sasso Science Institute
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Universidad de Guanajuato
INFN Sezione di Perugia
c/o DESY
Université de Strasbourg
Brookhaven National Laboratory
University of Kansas
Columbia University
University of Genoa
Ip Paris
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
INFN Sezione di Torino
University of Turin
Institute of Nuclear Physics at Almaty
Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi
Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering
Comenius University
ENAC-IIC-GEL
University of Bristol
University of Glasgow
Lancaster University
George Mason University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A search for heavy neutral lepton (N) production in π⁺→e⁺N in-flight decays using data collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017–2024 is reported. Upper limits for the extended neutrino mixing matrix element |U_e4|² are established at the level of 10⁻⁸ for heavy neutral leptons with mass in the range 95–126 MeV/c² and lifetime exceeding 50 ns.

Original language	English
Article number	140119
Journal	Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume	872
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2026

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10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119

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title = "Search for heavy neutral leptons in π+ decays to positrons",

abstract = "A search for heavy neutral lepton (N) production in π+→e+N in-flight decays using data collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017–2024 is reported. Upper limits for the extended neutrino mixing matrix element |Ue4|2 are established at the level of 10−8 for heavy neutral leptons with mass in the range 95–126 MeV/c2 and lifetime exceeding 50 ns.",

author = "\{The NA62 Collaboration\} and B. Bloch-Devaux and \{Cortina Gil\}, E. and N. Lurkin and E. Minucci and S. Padolski and P. Petrov and T. Numao and Y. Petrov and V. Shang and B. Velghe and Wong, \{V. W.S.\} and D. Bryman and J. Fu and L. Bician and Z. Hives and T. Husek and K. Kampf and M. Kolesar and M. Koval and \{De Martino\}, B. and M. Perrin-Terrin and L. Petit and B. D{\"o}brich and J. Jerhot and S. Lezki and J. Schubert and Akmete, \{A. T.\} and R. Aliberti and M. Ceoletta and \{Di Lella\}, L. and N. Doble and G. Khoriauli and J. Kunze and D. Lomidze and L. Peruzzo and C. Polivka and S. Schuchmann and M. Vormstein and H. Wahl and R. Wanke and L. Bandiera and N. Canale and A. Gianoli and M. Romagnoni and P. Dalpiaz and M. Fiorini and R. Negrello and I. Neri and F. Petrucci and E. Maurice",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119",

language = "English",

volume = "872",

journal = "Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics",

issn = "0370-2693",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Search for heavy neutral leptons in π+ decays to positrons

AU - The NA62 Collaboration

AU - Bloch-Devaux, B.

AU - Cortina Gil, E.

AU - Lurkin, N.

AU - Minucci, E.

AU - Padolski, S.

AU - Petrov, P.

AU - Numao, T.

AU - Petrov, Y.

AU - Shang, V.

AU - Velghe, B.

AU - Wong, V. W.S.

AU - Bryman, D.

AU - Fu, J.

AU - Bician, L.

AU - Hives, Z.

AU - Husek, T.

AU - Kampf, K.

AU - Kolesar, M.

AU - Koval, M.

AU - De Martino, B.

AU - Perrin-Terrin, M.

AU - Petit, L.

AU - Döbrich, B.

AU - Jerhot, J.

AU - Lezki, S.

AU - Schubert, J.

AU - Akmete, A. T.

AU - Aliberti, R.

AU - Ceoletta, M.

AU - Di Lella, L.

AU - Doble, N.

AU - Khoriauli, G.

AU - Kunze, J.

AU - Lomidze, D.

AU - Peruzzo, L.

AU - Polivka, C.

AU - Schuchmann, S.

AU - Vormstein, M.

AU - Wahl, H.

AU - Wanke, R.

AU - Bandiera, L.

AU - Canale, N.

AU - Gianoli, A.

AU - Romagnoni, M.

AU - Dalpiaz, P.

AU - Fiorini, M.

AU - Negrello, R.

AU - Neri, I.

AU - Petrucci, F.

AU - Maurice, E.

PY - 2026/1/1

Y1 - 2026/1/1

N2 - A search for heavy neutral lepton (N) production in π+→e+N in-flight decays using data collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017–2024 is reported. Upper limits for the extended neutrino mixing matrix element |Ue4|2 are established at the level of 10−8 for heavy neutral leptons with mass in the range 95–126 MeV/c2 and lifetime exceeding 50 ns.

AB - A search for heavy neutral lepton (N) production in π+→e+N in-flight decays using data collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017–2024 is reported. Upper limits for the extended neutrino mixing matrix element |Ue4|2 are established at the level of 10−8 for heavy neutral leptons with mass in the range 95–126 MeV/c2 and lifetime exceeding 50 ns.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105027681741

U2 - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119

DO - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.140119

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105027681741

SN - 0370-2693

VL - 872

JO - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

JF - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

M1 - 140119

ER -

Search for heavy neutral leptons in π⁺ decays to positrons

Abstract

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