Unitarity of Decoherence Implies Possibility of Decoherence-like Dynamics towards Macroscopic Superpositions

Quantum decoherence is crucial to understanding the emergence of the classical world from the underlying quantum reality. Decoherence dynamics are unitary, although they superselect a preferred eigenbasis. Decoherence dynamics result in stable macroscopic, localized, classical-like states. We show t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stanislav Filatov, Marcis Auzinsh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-10-01
Series:Entropy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/11/1546
Description
Summary:Quantum decoherence is crucial to understanding the emergence of the classical world from the underlying quantum reality. Decoherence dynamics are unitary, although they superselect a preferred eigenbasis. Decoherence dynamics result in stable macroscopic, localized, classical-like states. We show that the above-mentioned facts imply the possibility of the existence of decoherence-like dynamics that result in stable macroscopic non-localized non-classical-like states. Being rooted in the fabric of the decoherence theory itself, this property implies environments that steer the decoherence towards, for example, spatial superpositions of macroscopic objects. To demonstrate this, we provide thought-experimental, mathematical and philosophical arguments.
ISSN:1099-4300