SPIN-CHARGE SEPARATION AND ANOMALOUS SCALING IN COUPLED CHAINS

We use a bosonization approach to show that the three dimensional Coul omb interaction in coupled metallic chains leads to a Luttinger liquid for vanishing inter-chain hopping t(perpendicular to), and to a Fermi liquid for any finite t(perpendicular to). However, for small t(perpe ndicular to) not equal 0 the Greens-function satisfies a homogeneity r elation with a non-trivial exponent gamma(cb) in a large intermediate regime. Our results offer a simple explanation for the large values of gamma(cb) inferred from recent photoemission data from quasi one-dime nsional conductors and might have some relevance for the understanding of the unusual properties of the high-temperature superconductors.