A Proposal for Single-Photon Detection in Millimeter-Wave and THz Regions

Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows secure communication between spatially distant users. It has been successfully implemented in fiber-based and free space optical networks. However, QKD has not been implemented in other important regions of the electromagnetic spectrum: millimeter- wave and THz regions. One of the reasons for this is that single- photon detectors in these regions are not easily available. In the present work, a proposal of a simple and cheap single-photon detector working in the mmWave and THz region, using glow discharge detector, is presented and its parameters are discussed.