dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaContinuous Quantum Measurement and the Quantum to Classical Transition
| Authors | Tanmoy Bhattacharya, Salman Habib, Kurt Jacobs |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0211036 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0211036 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevA.67.042103 |
| Journal | Phys. Rev. A 67, 042103 (2003). |
Abstract
While ultimately they are described by quantum mechanics, macroscopic mechanical systems are nevertheless observed to follow the trajectories predicted by classical mechanics. Hence, in the regime defining macroscopic physics, the trajectories of the correct classical motion must emerge from quantum mechanics, a process referred to as the quantum to classical transition. Extending previous work [Bhattacharya, Habib, and Jacobs, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 85}, 4852 (2000)], here we elucidate this transition in some detail, showing that once the measurement processes which affect all macroscopic systems are taken into account, quantum mechanics indeed predicts the emergence of classical motion. We derive inequalities that describe the parameter regime in which classical motion is obtained, and provide numerical examples. We also demonstrate two further important properties of the classical limit. First, that multiple observers all agree on the motion of an object, and second, that classical statistical inference may be used to correctly track the classical motion.
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"abstract": "While ultimately they are described by quantum mechanics, macroscopic\nmechanical systems are nevertheless observed to follow the trajectories\npredicted by classical mechanics. Hence, in the regime defining macroscopic\nphysics, the trajectories of the correct classical motion must emerge from\nquantum mechanics, a process referred to as the quantum to classical\ntransition. Extending previous work [Bhattacharya, Habib, and Jacobs, Phys.\nRev. Lett. {\\bf 85}, 4852 (2000)], here we elucidate this transition in some\ndetail, showing that once the measurement processes which affect all\nmacroscopic systems are taken into account, quantum mechanics indeed predicts\nthe emergence of classical motion. We derive inequalities that describe the\nparameter regime in which classical motion is obtained, and provide numerical\nexamples. We also demonstrate two further important properties of the classical\nlimit. First, that multiple observers all agree on the motion of an object, and\nsecond, that classical statistical inference may be used to correctly track the\nclassical motion.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0211036",
"authors": [
"Tanmoy Bhattacharya",
"Salman Habib",
"Kurt Jacobs"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevA.67.042103",
"journal_ref": "Phys. Rev. A 67, 042103 (2003).",
"title": "Continuous Quantum Measurement and the Quantum to Classical Transition",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0211036"
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