In the present study, photoneutron production using a 5 MeV electron linear accelerator
(LINAC) was investigated based on new photoneutron cross-sections (IAEA/PD-2019.2) from the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). A detailed reconsideration of a past study has been
done in order to make a photoneutron source based on a heavy water target. In this regard, new
cross-sections of deuterium and beryllium were added to the library of the MCNP6.1 Monte Carlo
code for the simulation of photoneutron production. In addition, the FLUKA4-3.0 Monte Carlo
code was employed for comparison and data validation. Moreover, the obtained results from those
two codes (MCNP and FLUKA) were compared and discussed with the theory and the previous
study. Finally, it is concluded that the simulation of photoneutron production through an electron
LINAC can have relatively different results based on the photoneutron cross-sections and even on
the Monte Carlo code used. Therefore, a special attention should be paid to the difference between
photoneutron cross-sections as well as the difference in Monte Carlo codes to maintain reliability.