We show first reconstructions of the photon-number distribution obtained with a multichannel fiber-loop detector. Apart from analyzing the statistics of light pulses this device can serve as a sophisticated postselection device for experiments in quantum optics and quantum information. We quantify its efficiency by means of the Fisher information and compare it to the efficiency of the ideal photodetector.

• Received 27 March 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.67.061801