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For a Gaussian forward-rate field with deterministic volatility, put $F=P(t,U)/P(t,T)$, $K_b=(1+\delta K{)}^{-1}$, and $v^2={\int }_t^T\Vert \Sigma (s,U)-\Sigma (s,T){\Vert }^{2}ds$. Under the T-forward measure, $F$ is lognormal with that integrated variance. With $d_1=\log (F/K_b)/v+v/2$ and $d_2=d_1-v$, the displayed expression is the caplet price. At $v=0$ use the discounted intrinsic bond-put value. Gaussian instantaneous rates do not make the reset floating rate Gaussian; the exponential bond relation is what yields this bond-option formula.

A cap limits the floating rate on a notional principal by paying the excess over a strike for successive accrual periods. It is a sum of caplets. For accrual fraction $\delta$ and reset at $T$ with payment at $U$, the unit-notional payoff is $\delta (L(T;T,U)-K{)}^{+}$ at $U$, where $L(T;T,U)=[P(T,U{)}^{-1}-1]/\delta$ and $P$ is a zero-coupon bond price.

An interest-rate cap is the sum of caplets over successive reset and payment dates. Consider one accrual period $[T,U]$ with year fraction $\delta >0$ and strike $K\ge 0$. The reset rate is $L(T;T,U)=[P(T,U{)}^{-1}-1]/\delta$; the unit-notional payment at $U$ is $\delta (L-K{)}^{+}$. At reset its value isHence the caplet is equivalent before reset to $c=1+\delta K$ puts expiring at $T$ on the maturity-$U$ zero-coupon bond, with strike $K_b=1/c$. This algebra accounts for payment at $U$ rather than incorrectly treating the payment date as $T$.

Under the T-forward measure, use the bond-ratio process $F_s=P(s,U)/P(s,T)$, which is a martingale. From the Gaussian HJM dynamics its relative volatility is $-[\Sigma (s,U)-\Sigma (s,T)]$. With deterministic volatilities its logarithm at reset is normal with integrated varianceFor $v>0$, write $d_1=\log (F_t/K_b)/v+v/2$ and $d_2=d_1-v$. A normal integral gives ${\mathbb{Q}}^T(F_T<K_b\mid {\mathcal{F}}_t)=\Phi (-d_2)$ and ${\mathbb{E}}_{Q^T}[F_T{1}_{\{F_T<K_b\}}\mid {\mathcal{F}}_t]=F_t\Phi (-d_1)$. Therefore the Gaussian caplet bond-put formula isFor $v=0$, the value is $(P(t,T)-(1+\delta K)P(t,U){)}^{+}$. This is also obtained from the Gaussian bond-option formula by put-call parity. A cap price is the sum of its caplet prices, multiplied by the notional principal.

In the Vasicek model, the instantaneous forward-rate volatility is $\sigma (s,u)=\eta e^{-\kappa (u-s)}$. ThusIndeed, $\Sigma (s,U)-\Sigma (s,T)=\eta e^{-\kappa (T-s)}(1-e^{-\kappa (U-T)})/\kappa$, whose squared integral gives this expression without ambiguity. Gaussian short and instantaneous forward rates do not mean the reset floating rate $L$ is Gaussian: the latter is an inverse bond price minus one. The lognormal bond-ratio calculation, under the proper forward measure, is the reason for the normal-CDF pricing formula.