Effects of long-range electronic interactions on a one-dimensional electron system

The effects of a long-range electronic potential on a one-dimensional chain of spinless fermions are investigated by numerical techniques (exact diago nalization of rings with up to 30 sites complemented by finite size analysi s) and analytic calculations. Due to a competition between the 2k(F) oscill ations in the density and the (very slow) log divergence of the long wavele ngth part of the Coulomb potential, the metallic character of the system is enhanced at intermediate (and up to quite large) length scales. Despite so me similarities, we found that this quasimetallic regime is not of the Lutt inger liquid type, as evidenced by strong deviations from predictions of co nformal field theory and in agreement with the picture of a (very weakly pi nned) Wigner crystal. When the strength of the Coulomb interaction is subst antially increased, we observe a smooth crossover to a strongly localized c harge density wave.