[Tex/LaTex] Sub/Superscripts BUT not above each other

Question

In latex, if I want to write $F$ with subscripts and superscripts, as F_a^b I get \[F_a^b\]. In my case though I want the b to be a superscript but slight after a — that is not directly on top of a. How would I do that?

Answer 1

A quick and dirty way is to use \, for example for the superscript, which inserts a smaller space, \; even more and \quad will add (too) much space.

As an alternative, the \indices - macro from tensor - package can be used if the covariant-contravariant way of superscripts/subscripts is needed!

\documentclass{article}

%\usepackage{mathtools}

\usepackage{tensor}

\begin{document}

Normal: 
\[ F_{a}^{b} \]

Some spacing:

\[ F_{a}^{\,b} \]

Some more spacing:
\[ F_{a}^{\;b} \]

Incredible more spacing:
\[ F_{a}^{\quad b} \]

With tensor - package: \verb!\indices! - command:

\[ F\indices{_a^b}\]

\end{document}