MEAN-VALUE AND UNCERTAINTY OF OPTICAL-PHASE - A SIMPLE MECHANICAL ANALOGY

There exist several definitions of the mean value and the phase uncert ainty of an optical field. We show that one of these definitions is es pecially simple and intuitive because of its mechanical analogy. On th is basis, we also derive the summation rule and the Tchebyshev inequal ity for random angular and phase variables and a number-phase uncertai nty relation.