WKB quantization condition for a symmetric double well

ID: wkb-quantization-condition-for-a-symmetric-double-well

For a smooth symmetric confining potential energy with four separated simple classical turning points , define
The Airy turning-point connection formula applied to a decaying exterior wavefunction gives a central WKB approximation proportional to , where and . Since and , the even Neumann boundary condition gives , while the odd Dirichlet boundary condition gives . For , , with the minus correction for even parity. Since for the single-well classical oscillation period , the leading double-well tunneling splitting is .

New to topics? Read the docs here!