The cross sections for the reaction ${}^{76}\mathrm{Ge}(n,2n){}^{75}\mathrm{Ge}$ to both the isomeric state and the ground state of ${}^{75}\mathrm{Ge}$ have been measured with the activation method between 10 and 15 MeV in small energy steps to help resolve inconsistencies in the existing database. The ${}^{197}\mathrm{Au}(n,2n){}^{196}\mathrm{Au}$ reaction with its known cross section was used for normalization of the data, which are compared to experimental and evaluated data of the EXFOR, EAF, JENDL, ENDF, and TENDL libraries. Model calculations using the talys-1.8 code are presented which also allow for the extrapolation to higher neutron energies. The data are important to estimate potential neutron-induced backgrounds in currently running large-scale experiments aimed at the discovery of neutrinoless $\beta \beta$ decay of ${}^{76}\mathrm{Ge}$.

• Received 3 January 2017
• Revised 20 March 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.95.054605