We study the extended Hubbard model in the parameter region where it e
xhibits superconducting instabilities. The model is defined by onsite
and nearest-neighbor Coulomb interactions U and V and hopping integral
t. We calculate pair binding energies for various finite clusters by
performing exact diagonalization of the Hamiltonian. We show results f
or one-dimensional chains and discuss results for 4 x 4, 6 x 6, and 8
x 8 two-dimensional square lattices. Results of solving the BCS equati
on for the pair binding energy as functions of carrier density n, and
Coulomb interactions U and V, are compared with the exact diagonalizat
ion results. In the dilute concentration limit (n --> 0), the BCS equa
tion is expected to be exact and, in the low electron density region,
the results for the pair binding energy are found to be in fairly good
agreement with the exact solutions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.