LEGEND-1000, the next phase of the Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay, is a planned research facility to be established by an international consortium at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) underground laboratory in Italy. The host institutions for the German participation are the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) in Heidelberg and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), under the project leadership of Prof. Susanne Mertens (MPIK) and Prof. Stefan Schönert (TUM). Using 1,000 kg of highly sensitive germanium detectors, the experiment aims to investigate the fundamental properties of neutrinos and answer key questions in particle physics and cosmology. The primary objective is to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of germanium-76; its discovery would demonstrate that neutrinos are their own antiparticles. This finding could shed light on the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. Furthermore, LEGEND-1000 will also enable the search for dark matter, astrophysical neutrinos, rare decay processes and other phenomena beyond the Standard Model. LEGEND-1000 builds on the already established LEGEND-200 and GERDA experiments, which were constructed with significant involvement from German research groups.
In a statement now published, the German Science and Humanities Council (“Wissenschaftsrat”) has expressly endorsed German participation in LEGEND-1000. This recommendation stems from a scientific review initiated by the German Science and Humanities Council, which took place as part of the national prioritisation process for large-scale research infrastructures launched in 2024. In its report, the Council particularly recognised that the expected findings are of great significance to the wider research community in particle and nuclear physics. Furthermore, the Council points out that, through its experimental design, LEGEND-1000 will drive forward the development of highly sensitive detectors, cryogenic systems and low-radiation materials. Given the numerous potential applications in fields such as environmental monitoring, radiation detection, medical imaging and quantum computing, this opens up promising opportunities for industrial partners, with a number of German and European companies already involved in the development and installation of the research infrastructure.
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