On the Relation between the Semiclassical Initial Value Representation and an Exact Quantum Expansion in Time-Dependent Coherent States

Abstract

The Herman-Kluk (HK) or coherent state initial value representation (IVR) of semiclassical (SC) theory expresses a time-evolving wave function as a sum (integral) over the initial conditions of classically evolved coherent states (aka minimum uncertainty wave packets). An exact expansion of the wave function can also be made in terms of these same coherent states, thinking of them simply as a (time-dependent) basis set. This paper shows the precise set of approximations that are necessary to degenerate the exact expansion into the SC-IVR result. As a byproduct, we also obtain a generalization of the HK prefactor.