Abstract

We analyze a recent proposal for a new phase operator along with an eight-port homodyne detection experiment¹ using phase-space functions. We show that the moments of these sine and cosine operators and, in particular, of the measured dispersion result from a phase distribution obtained from an appropriate Wigner function by integration over radius. We also connect this experiment with a different phase operator2 and the integrated Q-function.

© 1992 Optical Society of America