What is meant by being driven by quantum fluctuations in QPTs

[RickvB]

What is meant by "being driven by quantum fluctuations" in QPTs

Hello all,

I'm reading a bit about quantum phase transitions, and in almost every description out there one will find the following mysterious phrase:

"quantum phase transitions are driven by quantum fluctuations rather than thermal fluctuations"

What does that mean? Especially the 'driven by' ..? I have not found an alternate description of what is being said here (either that, or I don't recognize it).

Any help or explanations would be welcome!

- Rick

 

[Bill_K]

Doesn't it just mean the properties of the critical point are determined by those fluctuations? (Critical exponents, etc)