From a quantum theory to a classical one

We present and discuss a formal approach for describing the quantum to classical crossover based on the group-theoretic construction of generalized coherent states. The method was originally introduced by Yaffe (Rev Mod Phys 54:407, 1982) in 1982 for tackling large-N quantum field theories and has been recently used for studying open quantum systems whose environment, while becoming macroscopic, may or may not display a classical behaviour (Liuzzo-Scorpo et al. in EPL (Europhys Lett) 111(4):40008, 2015; Rossi et al. in Phys Rev A 96:032116, 2017; Foti et al. in Quantum 3:179, 2019; Coppo in Schwarzschild black holes as macroscopic quantum systems, Università degli studi di Firenze, Florence, 2019). Referring to these recent developments, in this paper we provide the essential elements of Yaffe’s approach in the framework of standard quantum mechanics, so as to clarify how the approach can be used without referring to quantum field theory. Moreover, we address the role played by a possible global symmetry in making the large-N limit of the original quantum theory to flow into a formally well-defined classical theory, and we specifically consider the quantum-to-classical crossover of angular momentum. We also give details of a paradigmatic example, namely that of N free one-dimensional spinless particles. Finally, we discuss upon the foundational requirement that any classical description should ultimately be derived from an underlying quantum theory, that, however, is not, and should never be confused with, the one obtained via some quantization procedure of the classical description itself.