Variations of polarisation in external electrostatic fields

Abstract

It is nowadays a quite diffuse idea that variations of polarisation in condensed matter theory are related to a "Berry phase". The derivation of the latter geometric phase is correct $\it{only if}$ the restrictive periodic gauge\cite{KS-V} is used for its derivation, aside giving rise to a "quantum of polarisation" that is of difficult theoretical interpretation. Its derivation has not been demonstrated in the general case of an external homogeneous electric field interacting with the electronic field. In the present paper we give a brief derivation of the polarisation differences in a general manner than in\cite{KS-V} allowing for a general boundary conditions freedom showing that is possible to define it even in the presence of an external electric field interacting with the electronic field and writing equations in a way directly implementable in modern first principles codes.