Journal of Modern Optics
Fluctuations of the hermitian phase operator of electromagnetic field for quantum phase superpositions of coherent states
A. V. Kozlovskiĭ
Abstract
Quantum-statistical properties of the phase of electromagnetic field in the case of phase superpositions of coherent states of the type Nα,β,ξneiϕα+eiξneiϕβ have been studied. Formulas for the average values and fluctuations (variances) of Hermitian phase operator ϕˆθ of the electromagnetic field (so-called Pegg–Barnett optical phase operator) in the case of general superposition of coherent states are obtained and analysed. The states of phase superpositions of the ‘Schrödinger cat’ type Nα,−α,ξ(|α⟩+eiξ|−α⟩),ϕβ=ϕα+π, and superpositions of coherent states of the type Nα,α∗,ξ(|α⟩+eiξ|α∗⟩),ϕβ=−ϕα, are considered separately.