A photon drag detector with high sensitivity at 10.6‐&mgr; radiation from aQ‐switched CO2laser was developed by usingp‐type tellurium. The observed value of the photon drag signal at 77 K was as high as 5 mV on a 5‐mm‐long sample, perpendicular to thecaxis, when the peak intensity of the incident laser pulse was 1 kW. The photon drag effect is dominantly generated by light holes, so that the polarity of the induced voltage is consistent with that expected on the basis of momentum transfer from photons to holes. There was observed no polarity change over a temperature range in the present experiment, in contrast top‐type germanium. The momentum relaxation time in the light hole band was estimated to be about 10−14sec.