ENERGY-LEVELS AND STATISTICAL ENTROPY OF A STRONGLY MODULATED QUANTUMHARMONIC-OSCILLATOR

Calculations are given of the energy levels and the statistical entrop y of a quantum harmonic oscillator strongly modulated by a potential e xpanded in Fourier series. Examples described are those of a perturbat ed harmonic surface such as expected in protein dynamics. For high tem peratures, the entropy behaviour tends towards that of an unperturbed harmonic oscillator, while for low temperatures, the entropy depends s ensitively on the shape of the potential near the minimum.