Calculation of the photoelectric efficiency with Monte Carlo method of a planar high purity Ge detectors and application to cross sections measurement

The aim of this work is to elaborate a Monte Carlo programme which calculate the photoelectric efficiency of a planar high purity Ge detector for low energy photons. This programme calculate the auto absorption, the absorption in different media crossed by the photon and the intrinsic and total efficiencies. The results of this programme were very satisfactory since they reproduce the measured values in the two different cases of punctual and volumic sources. The result of the photoelectric efficiency calculation with this programme has been applied to determine the cross section of the 166-Er (n,2 n) 165-Er reaction induced by 14 MeV neutron, where only the measurement by x spectrometry is possible. The value obtained is concordant with the data given by the literature. 119 figs., 39 tabs., 96 refs. (F.M.)