Quantum and Thermal Fluctuations, Uncertainty Principle, Decoherence and Classicality*

B. L. Hu, Yuhong Zhang

Published 1993-02-22Version 1

We scrutize the commonly used criteria for classicality and examine their underlying issues. The two major issues we address here are that of decoherence and fluctuations. We borrow the insights gained in the study of the semiclassical limit of quantum cosmology to discuss the three criteria of classicality for a quantum closed system: adiabaticity, correlation and decoherence. We then use the Brownian model as a paradigm of quantum open systems to discuss the relation of quantum and thermal fluctuations and their role in the transition from quantum to classical. We derive the uncertainty relation at finite temperature. We study how the fluctuations of a quantum system evolve after it is brought in contact with a heat bath and analyse the decoherence and relaxation processes. From the effect of fluctuations on decoherence we show the relation between these two sets of criteria of classicality. Finally, we briefly comment on the issue of nonintegrability in quantum open systems.