Ground state, vibrational spectrum, and deterministic transport of a chain of charged particles

We study the equilibrium, oscillatory, and transport properties of a chain of charged particles which interact with each other via the Coulomb and powerlike repulsive interactions. Exact analytical expressions for the energy of the ground state, interparticle distances, and vibration spectrum are derived, and the stability criterion for a chain with equidistant particles is established. We also consider the phenomenon of deterministic transport of a chain in a ratchet potential subject to a longitudinal alternating electric field.