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In the sudden approximation, an initial oscillator ground state overlaps the displaced ground state by $\exp [-m\omega d^2/(4\hslash )]$. Completing the square in the product of the two normalized Gaussian wavefunctions and using the Gaussian integral proves this amplitude. Squaring it gives the displayed probability. Only an irrelevant overall phase evolves before the sudden switch.

The sudden approximation keeps the wavefunction unchanged at the instant of switching: a finite step of potential creates no delta-function impulse in the Schrodinger equation. Just before switching the old ground state differs from the printed real wavefunction only by an overall phase, which does not affect probabilities.

Let ${\tilde{\psi }}_0(x)=(\pi \hslash {)}^{-1/4}{e}^{-(x-d{)}^2/(2\hslash )}$, $d=qE$, be the new ground state. Its overlap with the initial state is, up to that phase,Since $x^2+(x-d{)}^2=2(x-d/2{)}^2+d^2/2$, the Gaussian integral gives $A_0=e^{-d^2/(4\hslash )}$. The Born rule and the ground-state overlap after sudden oscillator displacement thus giveThis is an overlap probability, not a claim that the original wavefunction instantaneously relaxes to the new ground state. It becomes one when $qE=0$.