Diffraction limit of the sub-Planck structures

TL;DR

This paper investigates the orthogonality of cat states in quantum metrology, deriving an exact asymptotic expression for their overlap function related to sub-Planck structures and diffraction patterns.

Contribution

It provides an exact asymptotic expression for the overlap function of cat states, linking quantum interference structures to classical diffraction patterns.

Findings

Overlap function matches diffraction pattern for circular arrangements.

Asymptotic expression derived for large number of states.

Validates the connection between quantum interference and classical optics.

Abstract

The orthogonality of cat and displaced cat states, underlying Heisenberg limited measurement in quantum metrology, is studied in the limit of large number of states. The asymptotic expression for the corresponding state overlap function, controlled by the sub-Planck structures arising from phase space interference, is obtained exactly. The validity of large phase space support, in which context the asymptotic limit is achieved, is discussed in detail. For large number of coherent states, uniformly located on a circle, it identically matches with the diffraction pattern for a circular ring with uniform angular source strength. This is in accordance with the van Cittert-Zernike theorem, where the overlap function, similar to the mutual coherence function matches with a diffraction pattern.