Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 29, No. 2, 1982. p. 317-327.
We solve analytically the Fokker-Planck equation for a one-parameter family of symmetric, attractive, nonharmonic potentials which include double-well situations. The exact knowledge of the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues allows us to fully discuss the transient behavior of the probability density. In particular, for the bistable potentials, we can give analytical expressions for the probability current over the working barrier and for the onset time which characterizes the transition from uni- to bimodal probability densities.