Nonlocal scalar field in an external potential: WKB approximation

We consider a nonlocal theory of a scalar massive field in a flat spacetime background in the presence of an external potential and construct WKB solutions for this theory. We use a model in which the kinetic part of the scalar field action is modified by changing $\Box$ to $\Box f(\Box)$ operator. We discuss conditions when the corresponding form factor $f$ is chosen so that the theory does not contain new unphysical degrees of freedom. We applied the obtained WKB solutions for study energy levels of the field trapped by a one-dimensional potential and the probability of the barrier penetration. This allows us to illustrate how the effects of the nonlocality change the known results obtained for the local field theory.

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