Let $A(t)$ be a smooth function from $[-1,1]$ to the $n \times n$ complex matrices. Define the time ordered exponential $$\prod_{-1}^1 \exp(A(t) dt)$$ as in [this question][1], as the limit of Riemann products $\prod_{i=1}^n \exp(f(t^{\ast}_i) \ \delta t_i)$. The actual quantity I am interested in is $$B(r) = \prod_{-1}^1 \exp(r A(t) dt)$$ as $r \to \infty$. As $r \to 0$, there is a known power series expansion for $B(r)$ called the [Magnus series][2]. As $r \to \infty$, I would expect there to be something like the [stationary phase approximation][3], but I haven't been able to find it or figure it out. I should mention that in my situation, $A(t)$ obeys $$A(-t) = A(t)^{\ast} \quad (\dagger)$$ where $\ast$ is conjugate transpose. Condition $(\dagger)$ implies that $B(r)$ is Hermitian. I don't know whether this is helpful in any way. [1]: https://mathoverflow.net/questions/32705/what-is-the-standard-notation-for-a-multiplicative-integral [2]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_series [3]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stationary_phase_approximation