The Quantum-Classical Boundary: from Opto-Mechanics to Solid-State

Abstract

The present thesis shows that Quantum Information concepts can be used to better understand the quantum-to-classical boundary in mesoscopic and macroscopic systems. Our findings suggest a way to push this boundary towards the macroscopic domain by coupling a moveable mirror to a confined quasi-classical electromagnetic field (Chapters 2 and 3), and opens new possibilities towards quantum computation and information processing with strongly-correlated systems at realistic temperatures by demonstrating the opening of robust gaps in 2D antiferromagnetic lattices due to the presence of additional spin-1/2 probes (Chapters 4 and 5).