Influence of experimental resolution on the quantum-to-classical transition in the quartic oscillator

Abstract

The quantum-classical transition problem is investigated for the quartic oscillator coupled to a thermal reservoir. We show for this model that the combination of relevant diffusion, classical action (represented by the amplitude of an initial coherent state) and the experimental uncertainties is necessary to achieve the classical regime. In order to study the role of limited resolutions of measurement apparatuses on the correspondence between the quantum and classical dynamics, we consider experimental errors due the preparation of the initial state of the quartic oscillator and the inaccuracies in the time measurements. A quantum break time depending on the diffusion constant, the amplitude of the initial coherent state and the inaccuracy of measurements is defined. We found, for this model, a regime where the increasing of diffusion does not anticipate classicality. In such regime, there is a minimum value for the classical action associated to classical behavior of the system.