In this paper we provide a detailed description of the inchworm Monte Carlo formalism for the exact study of real-time non-adiabatic dynamics. This method optimally recycles Monte Carlo information from earlier times to greatly suppress the dynamical sign problem. Using the example of the spin-boson model, we formulate the inchworm expansion in two distinct ways: The first with respect to an expansion in the system-bath coupling and the second as an expansion in the diabatic coupling. The latter approach motivates the development of a cumulant version of the inchworm Monte Carlo method, which has the benefit of improved scaling. This paper deals completely with methodology, while Paper II provides a comprehensive comparison of the performance of the inchworm Monte Carlo algorithms to other exact methodologies as well as a discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each.

The dynamics of an electronic system interacting with an electromagnetic field is investigated within mixed quantum-classical theory. Beyond the classical path approximation (where we ignore all feedback from the electronic system on the photon field), we consider all electron-photon interactions explicitly according to Ehrenfest (i.e. mean-field) dynamics and a set of coupled Maxwell-Liouville equations. Because Ehrenfest dynamics cannot capture certain quantum features of the photon field correctly, we propose a new Ehrenfest+R method that can recover (by construction) spontaneous emission while also distinguishing between electromagnetic fluctuations and coherent emission.

The dynamics of an electronic two-level system coupled to an electromagnetic field are simulated explicitly for one and three dimensional systems through semiclassical propagation of the Maxwell-Liouville equations. We consider three flavors of mixed quantum-classical dynamics: the classical path approximation (CPA), Ehrenfest dynamics, and symmetrical quantum-classical (SQC) dynamics. The CPA fails to recover a consistent description of spontaneous emission. A consistent "spontaneous" emission can be obtained from Ehrenfest dynamics-provided that one starts in an electronic superposition state. Spontaneous emission is always obtained using SQC dynamics. Using the SQC and Ehrenfest frameworks, we further calculate the dynamics following an incoming pulse, but here we find very different responses: SQC and Ehrenfest dynamics deviate sometimes strongly in the calculated rate of decay of the transient excited state. Nevertheless, our work confirms the earlier observations by W. Miller [J. Chem. Phys. 69, 2188-2195, 1978 that Ehrenfest dynamics can effectively describe some aspects of spontaneous emission and highlights new possibilities for studying light-matter interactions with semiclassical mechanics.

In this second paper of a two part series, we present extensive benchmark results for two different inchworm Monte Carlo expansions for the spin-boson model. Our results are compared to previously developed numerically exact approaches for this problem. A detailed discussion of convergence and error propagation is presented. Our results and analysis allow for an understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of inchworm Monte Carlo compared to other approaches for exact real-time non-adiabatic quantum dynamics.