QUANTUM TUNNELING AND REGULAR AND IRREGULAR QUANTUM DYNAMICS OF A DRIVEN DOUBLE-WELL OSCILLATOR

The quantum dynamics of a particle in a double-well potential under a monochromatic external driving force is computed by using a minimum-uncertainty Gaussian wave packet as an initial state. Irregular or regular time development of dynamical variables is obtained, depending on whether the initial wave packet is located in the classical chaotic sea or the regular region in phase space, respectively. Tunnelings between nonresonant islands and between resonant islands are obtained. Tunneling times between nonresonant islands decrease smoothly, in general, with the increase of the amplitude of the driving force, but tunneling times between resonant islands are more erratic.