The self-energy method for quantum impurity models expresses the correlation part of the self-energy in terms of the ratio of two Green functions and allows for a more accurate calculation of equilibrium spectral functions, than is possible directly from the one-particle Green function [Bulla {it et al.} Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter {bf 10}, 8365 (1998)], for example, within the numerical renormalization group method. In addition, the self-energy itself is a central quantity required in the dynamical mean field theory of strongly correlated lattice models. Here, we show how to generalize the self-energy method to the time-dependent situation for the prototype model of strong correlations, the Anderson impurity model . We use the equation of motion method to obtain closed expressions for the local Green function in terms of a time-dependent correlation self-energy, with the latter being given as a ratio of a two- and a one-particle time-dependent Green function. We benchmark this self-energy approach to time-dependent spectral functions against the direct approach within the time-dependent numerical renormalization group method. The self-energy approach improves the accuracy of time-dependent spectral function calculations, and, the closed form expressions for the Green function allow for a clear picture of the time-evolution of spectral features at the different characteristic time-scales. The self-energy approach is of potential interest also for other quantum impurity solvers for real-time evolution, including time-dependent density matrix renormalization group and continuous time quantum Monte Carlo techniques.
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