Accurate Formula for the Macroscopic Polarization of Strongly Correlated Materials

The many-body Berry phase formula for macroscopic polarization is approximated by a sum of natural orbital geometric phases with fractional occupation numbers accounting for the dominant correlation effects. This formula accurately reproduces the exact polarization in the Rice–Mele–Hubbard model across the band insulator–Mott insulator transition. A similar formula based on a reduced Berry curvature accurately predicts the interaction-induced quenching of Thouless topological charge pumping