Classical Behavior After a Phase Transition: I. Classical Order Parameters

We analyze the onset of classical field configurations after a phase transition. Firstly, we motivate the problem by means of a toy model in quantum mechanics. Subsequently, we consider a scalar field theory in which the system-field interacts with its environment, represented both by further scalar fields and by its own short-wavelength modes. We show that for very rapid quenches, the order parameter can be treated classically by the time taken for it to achieve its ground state values (spinodal time).