In this paper we show how different measurement schemes for a micromaser system may be used to investigate different aspects of the maser dynamics. The features which are investigated include a measurement of the phase diffusion in steady-state, transient states with several orders of coherence, and an interesting connection to questions of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox. In addition, it is shown rigorously that different measurement schemes acting only on the atomic part of the system after the cavity have no influence on the ensemble properties of the cavity field.

• Received 9 November 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.47.5068