Diffusion in a bistable potential: The functional integral approach

We study, with the help of the Onsager-Machlup functional integral approach, the distributionP of a single stochastic variable, the evolution of which is described by a Fokker-Planck equation with a first moment deriving from a bistable potential. We set up the approximation scheme appropriate, in this approach, to the limit of constant and small diffusion coefficient. Two regimes are to be distinguished: Very long times (Kramers regime) are treated within the frame of a free-instanton-molecule gas approximation, and at intermediate times (Suzuki regime) a standard semiclassical calculation is legitimate. We thus rederive exactly the results obtained from the mode expansion and WKB method.We dedicate this work to our colleagues Yuri Orlov and Robert Nazarian.