Exact solution of Schrödinger equation with symmetric double-well potential versus WKB: accuracy for ground state splitting

Abstract: The one-dimensional Schr\"odinger equation with symmetric trigonometric double-well potential (DWP) is exactly solved via angular oblate spheroidal function. The results of stringent analytic calculation for the ground state splitting of hydrogen bond in malonaldehyde are compared with several variants of approximate semiclassical (WKB) ones. This enables us to compare the accuracy of various WKB formulas suggested in the literature: 1. ordinary WKB, i.e., the formula from the Landau and Lifshitz textbook; 2. Garg's formula; 3. instanton approach. The results obtained provide a new theoretical tool for the precise quantitative description of experimental data on IR spectroscopy of malonaldehyde.