PHASE PROPERTIES OF A FIELD MODE INTERACTING WITH N 2-LEVEL ATOMS

We analyze the phase properties of a strong cavity field interacting w ith an ensemble of initially excited N two-level atoms. Using the Pegg -Barnett phase formalism [Phys. Rev. A 39, 1665 (1989)], we calculate the phase probability distribution as well as the phase variance. The phase probability density exhibits a (N + 1)-peak structure at the ini tial stages of the evolution. The phase variance is used to illustrate the progressive randomization of the phase on the long-time evolution . The difference in the phase dynamics for the N even and the N odd ca se is pointed out.