Quantum-limited detection of the arrival time and the carrier frequency of time-dependent signals

Precise measurements of both the arrival time and carrier frequency of light pulses are essential for time–frequency-encoded quantum technologies. Quantum mechanics, however, imposes fundamental limits on the simultaneous determination of these quantities. In this work, we derive and experimentally verify the quantum uncertainty bounds governing joint time–frequency measurements. We show that when detection is restricted to finite time windows, the problem is naturally described by a quantum rotor, rendering the commonly used Heisenberg uncertainty relation inapplicable. We further propose an optimal detection scheme that saturates these fundamental limits. By sampling the Q -function, we demonstrate the reconstruction of the Wigner function beyond the harmonic oscillator. Using an experimental implementation based on a quantum pulse gate, we confirm that the proposed scheme approaches the ultimate quantum limit for simultaneous time–frequency measurements. These results provide a framework for joint time–frequency detection with direct implications for precision measurements and quantum information processing.