The SoLid experiment aims to address one of the most outstanding issue in neutrino physics. Recent experimental neutrino oscillation results suggest the existence of a new neutrino state. This possible new state, with a mass of around 1 eV, is called sterile because of its vanishing weak interaction quantum numbers. Its discovery would modify in depth our current understanding of the elementary interactions. Electron anti-neutrinos produced at nuclear reactors can help to shed light on this new state. The electron-to-sterile antineutrino oscillation induces a modification of the flux of the anti-neutrinos close to the reactor core (6-10 m).
SoLid uses a novel detector technology to search for these oscillations. Furthermore, the measurement of the anti-neutrino flux from 235U at short distance from the production will provide an essential reference for predictions used in current and future neutrino experiments.