A Measurement of Cross Sections for Neutron-Induced Transitions in Germanium and $^{136}$Xe*

We report on a measurement of cross sections for neutron-induced transitions on germanium, using one target with natural isotopic abundances and another enriched in $^{76}$Ge, and $^{136}$Xe. These reactions were investigated to determine neutron-induced contributions to background contamination in the regions of interest for searches of neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{76}$Ge and $^{136}$Xe; an accurate understanding of this background is a requisite for any compelling result. These measurements were undertaken at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) using a neutron beam with 8 MeV energy generated with the $^{2}$H(d,n)$^{3}$He source reaction.