Direct measurement of time-frequency analogs of sub-Planck structures

Abstract

Exploiting the correspondence between the Wigner distribution function and the frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) measurement, we experimentally demonstrate the existence of chessboardlike interference patterns with a time-bandwidth product smaller than that of a transform-limited pulse in the phase-space representation of compass states. Using superpositions of four electric pulses as the realization of compass states, we have shown via direct measurements that displacements leading to orthogonal states can be smaller than limits set by uncertainty relations. In the experiment we observe an exactly chronocyclic correspondence to the sub-Planck structure in the interference pattern appearing for the superposition of two Schrödinger-cat-like states in a position-momentum phase space.