A generalized time-dependent perturbation theory is derived for superoperators. Instead of using the “standard” breakup of the Hamiltonian into a known zeroth order term and a correction, we use the approximate superpropagator to define the correction superoperator which is then used to obtain a series representation of the exact Liouville operator. The theory reduces to known limits and may be used for a perturbation expansion of classical Wigner and Husimi dynamics as well as for recent phase-space-based semiclassical approximations. The theory is demonstrated for a model quartic potential.

• Received 11 August 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.80.052103