# Contour calculus for many-particle functions

## TL;DR

This paper generalizes Langreth rules for non-equilibrium many-body perturbation theory to handle complex multi-argument contour functions, enabling real-time analysis of more intricate quantum systems.

## Contribution

It introduces a new procedure to extract real-time equations from multi-argument contour functions, extending Langreth rules to broader non-equilibrium scenarios.

## Key findings

- Derived Langreth rules for double triangle structures
- Developed graphical rules for multi-argument retarded functions
- Applied to vertex corrections beyond GW approximation

## Abstract

In non-equilibrium many-body perturbation theory, Langreth rules are an efficient way to extract real-time equations from contour ones. However, the standard rules are not applicable in cases that do not reduce to simple convolutions and multiplications. We introduce a procedure for extracting real-time equations from general multi-argument contour functions with an arbitrary number of arguments. This is done for both the standard Keldysh contour, as well as the extended contour with a vertical track that allows for general initial states. This amounts to the generalization of the standard Langreth rules to much more general situations. These rules involve multi-argument retarded functions as key ingredients, for which we derive intuitive graphical rules. We apply our diagrammatic recipe to derive Langreth rules for the so-called double triangle structure and the general vertex function, relevant for the study of vertex corrections beyond the $GW$ approximation.