Relations Between Low-lying Quantum Wave Functions and Solutions of the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation

Abstract

We discuss a new relation between the low lying Schroedinger wave function of a particle in a one-dimentional potential V and the solution of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation with -V as its potential. The function V is $\geq 0$, and can have several minina (V=0). We assume the problem to be characterized by a small anhamornicity parameter $g^{-1}$ and a much smaller quantum tunneling parameter $ε$ between these different minima. Expanding either the wave function or its energy as a formal double power series in $g^{-1}$ and $ε$, we show how the coefficients of $g^{-m}ε^n$ in such an expansion can be expressed in terms of definite integrals, with leading order term determined by the classical solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. A detailed analysis is given for the particular example of quartic potential $V={1/2}g^2(x^2-a^2)^2$.