Monte-Carlo calculated detector response functions to unfold radiative neutron capture spectra

Results of geant4 Monte Carlo simulations carried out on the Budapest PGAA detector are presented in this paper. A complete set of detector response functions, i.e. the gamma spectra corresponding to incremental gamma-ray energies up to 12 MeV, were obtained by simulations and used to unfold the experimental gamma spectra of Co-60 and Eu-152. The unfolding successfully removed the continuous Compton-background and the escape peaks related to a full-energy peak but preserved the shape and area of the peak itself. We finally demonstrated the applicability of this approach in determining the total radiative neutron capture cross-sections of the N-14(n, gamma) reaction, where an excellent agreement with literature data was found.