Uncentered second-moment commutator inequality ($⟨A^2⟩⟨B^2⟩\ge ⟨C{⟩}^2/4,[A,B]=iC$)

For self-adjoint operators $A,B$ and a normalized quantum state in their relevant product operator domains, put $u=A\psi$, $v=B\psi$, $z=⟨u,v⟩$. With the inner product linear in its second entry, $⟨C⟩=2\mathrm{Im}z$. The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality givesEquality holds exactly when $u,v$ are linearly dependent and $\mathrm{Re}z=0$. This includes either zero vector; if both vectors are nonzero it is equivalent to $B\psi =i\lambda A\psi$ for real nonzero $\lambda$. Applying this inequality to the centred observables $A-⟨A⟩I$ and $B-⟨B⟩I$ gives the Robertson uncertainty principle.