Dependence of decoherence-assisted classicality on the ways a system is partitioned into subsystems

TL;DR

The paper demonstrates that the emergence of classicality and thermalization in quantum systems depends critically on how the system is partitioned into subsystems, and that appropriate partitioning can prevent these phenomena.

Contribution

It shows that the choice of system partitioning can inhibit decoherence-assisted classicality and thermalization, challenging assumptions about their inevitability.

Findings

Classicality depends on system partitioning

Partitioning can prevent decoherence and thermalization

Implications for quantum system analysis

Abstract

Choosing a specific way of dividing a closed system into parts is a starting point for the decoherence program and for the quantum thermalization program. It is shown that one can always chose such way of partitioning that decoherence-assisted classicality does not emerge and thermalization does not occur. Implications of this result are discussed.