PHOTON DETECTING APPARATUS AND OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

A photon detecting apparatus for use in a quantum encryption receiver apparatus or the like, wherein a plurality of photon detectors are used to improve the response speed of the photon detecting apparatus. There are included wavelength branching means (12) for branching a wavelength-multiplexed incident photon pulse sequence for each of wavelengths; a plurality of photon detectors (13-1, ···, 13-n) for detecting the photons as branched by the wavelength branching means (12); bias applying means (14) for applying gate pulses, as bias voltages, to the respective ones of the plurality of photon detectors (13-1, ···, 13-n) in conformity with the timings at which the output lights of the wavelength branching means (12) are incident on the plurality of photon detectors (13-1, ···, 13-n); and data processing means (15) for converting the detection signals from the plurality of photon detectors (13-1, ···, 13-n) to time series signals.