%0 Journal Article
%A Luis Aina, Alfredo
%A Peřina, J.
%T Optimum phase-shift estimation and the quantum description of the phase difference
%D 1996
%@ 1050-2947
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/59726
%X The problem of a correct quantum description of the phase difference is examined from the perspective of parameter estimation theory. It is shown that an optimum phase-shift measurement defines a phase difference operator which coincides with other approaches to the same problem. We also study the fundamental limit to the accuracy of a phase difference shift detection. We show that this limit can be reached by a measurement having countable outcomes despite the fact that a phase shift can take any value. We show that this is the case of the phase difference operator defined by an optimum phase-shift measurement.
%~