Abstract
A simple model for a particle in a double well is derived from discretizing its configuration space. The model contains as many free parameters as the original system and it respects all the existing symmetries. In the presence of an external periodic force both the continuous system and the discrete model are shown to possess a generalized time-reversal symmetry in addition to the known generalized parity. The impact of the driving force on the spectrum of the Floquet operator is studied. In particular, the occurrence of degenerate quasienergies causing coherent destruction of tunneling is discussed—to a large extent analytically—for arbitrary driving frequencies and barrier heights.
- Received 10 July 1997
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.57.68
©1998 American Physical Society