On Quantum-Classical Transition of a Single Particle

Abstract

We discuss the issue of quantum-classical transition in a system of a single particle with and without external potential. This is done by elaborating the notion of self-trapped wave function recently developed by the author. For a free particle, we show that there is a subset of self-trapped wave functions which is particle-like. Namely, the spatially localized wave packet is moving uniformly with undistorted shape as if the whole wave packet is indeed a classical free particle. The length of the spatial support of the wave packet is given by the Compton wavelength so that the wave packet is more localized for particle with larger mass. Whereas for a particle of mass m in a macroscopic external potential, we show that the time needed by the corresponding self-trapped wave function to depart from a classical trajectory is of the order ∼m2c/ℏ. We argue that it is the Compton wavelength that matters and not the de Broglie wavelength as in conventional semiclassical approach.