Unfolding of Ge-detector response by Monte Carlo simulation and applications in radiation protection

Response functions to monoenergetic gamma radiation of a portable high purity Ge-detector have been calculated by Monte Carlo simulation for 180 photon energies ranging from 20 keV to 1.5 MeV and used to unfold measured pulse height spectra. The dependence of response functions on scattering from housing and cryostat of the detector and on the incidence angle of the radiation is discussed. Measured pulse height spectra in a house exposed to a ⁶⁰Co source were unfolded and compared to photon fluence rate spectra obtained by a Monte Carlo simulation of the photon transport in this environment, finding a very good agreement.