The characterization of photon statistics is an important capability in quantum technology and quantum optics. Here we present and demonstrate an approach to reveal photon-number distribution by only one single threshold detector without any spatial or temporal multiplexing via rotational Doppler effect, which introduces the $n$ times frequency shift to the $n$-photon Fock state based on the particle nature of light. The photon-number-dependent frequency shift enables to characterize the photon-number distribution through the measured frequency spectrum by a single threshold detector. We successfully demonstrate the photon bunching effect in Hong-Ou-Mandel interference not only for two single-photon interference but also for two two-photon interference. We also easily measure the degree of second-order quantum coherence $g^{(2)}(0)$ for heralded Fock states generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. Our detection-resource-efficient method to characterize photon statistics will provide possibilities for photon number detection with wide applications in quantum optics and quantum information processing.

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• Angular momentum of light
• Optical quantum information processing
• Photon statistics
• Photonics
• Quantum metrology
• Quantum optics
• Photon counting
• Single-photon detectors