In quantum mechanics the position and momentum operators are related to eachother via the Fourier transform. In the same way, here we show that theso-called Pegg-Barnett phase operator can be obtained by the application of thediscrete Fourier transform to the number operator defined in afinite-dimensional Hilbert space. Furthermore, we show that the structure ofthe London-Susskind-Glogower phase operator, whose natural logarithm give risethe Pegg-Barnett phase operator, is contained into the Hamiltonian of circularwaveguide arrays. Our results may find applications in the development of newfinite-dimensional photonic systems with interesting phase-dependentproperties.