The Double Chooz reactor neutrino experiment

The Double Chooz reactor neutrino experiment will be the next detector to search for a non vanishing θ₁₃ mixing angle with unprecedented sensitivity, which might open the way to unveiling CP violation in the leptonic sector. The measurement of this angle will be based in a precise comparison of the antineutrino spectrum at two identical detectors located at different distances from the Chooz nuclear reactor cores in France. Double Chooz is particularly attractive because of its capability to measure sin² (2θ₁₃) to 3σ if sin² (2θ₁₃) > 0.05 or to exclude sin² (2θ₁₃) down to 0.03 at 90% C.L. for Δm² = 2.5 x 10^-3 eV² in three years of data taking with both detectors. The installation of the far detector started in May 2008 and the first neutrino interactions are expected in 2009. The advantages of reactor neutrino experiments to measure the θ₁₃ mixing angle are described in this article and in particular, the design, current status and expected performance of the Double Chooz detector.