Testing the suitability of FLUKA and PHITS to predict the outcome of radionuclide production

To test the accuracy of predictions for radionuclide production by nuclear reactions with unknown data by the Monte Carlo codes FLUKA and PHITS we investigated experimental data from 26 publications. Experimental data were used as input for the codes and the simulation results were compared with the experimental yields for radionuclide production. We identified a number of problematic cases. Where information on the experimental conditions was complete and accurate, we observed a good alignment (3-8%) of simulated results and experimental outcomes. In conclusion, MC codes can be used with benefit in target construction. FLUKA seems to be more suitable for this purpose than PHITS.