Occupation numbers and nuclear transition matrix elements for $$0\nu \beta ^{-}\beta ^{-}$$ 0 ν β - β - decay within a mechanism involving neutrino mass

By reproducing the experimentally available sub-shell occupation numbers of $$^{100}$$ Mo, $$^{100}$$ Ru, $$^{128,130}$$ Te, and $$^{130}$$ Xe nuclei, sets of four HFB intrinsic wave functions are generated with single particle energies due to Woods–Saxon potential and four different parametrizations of pairing plus multipolar effective two body interaction. In the rest of the considered nuclei, the single particle energies are scaled accordingly. Reliability of wave functions has been ascertained by comparing theoretically calculated and observed yrast spectra and deformation parameters $$\beta _{2}$$ . Comparison between NTMEs $${\overline{M}}^{(K)}$$ ( $$K=$$ $$0\nu $$ and 0N) calculated with wave functions having adjusted and unadjusted occupation numbers shows that the former are in general reduced. Uncertainties in set of twelve nuclear transition matrix elements for the neutrinoless double- $$\beta $$ decay of $$^{94,96}$$ Zr, $$^{100}$$ Mo, $$^{110}$$ Pd, $$^{128,130}$$ Te, and $$^{150}$$ Nd isotopes calculated using three different parametrizations of Jastrow short range correlations turn out to be 10–14% and 37% due to the exchange of light and heavy Majorana neutrino, respectively.