Configurational and energy landscape in one-dimensional Coulomb systems
  We study a one dimensional Coulomb system, where two charged colloids are neutralized by a collection of point counterions, with global neutrality. Temperature being given, two situations are addressed: the colloids are either kept at fixed positions (canonical ensemble), or the force acting on the colloids is fixed (isobaric-isothermal ensemble). The corresponding partition functions are worked out exactly, in view of determining which arrangement of counterions is optimal: how many counterions should be in the confined segment between the colloids? For the remaining ions outside, is there a left/right symmetry breakdown? We evidence a cascade of transitions, as system size is varied in the canonical treatment, or as pressure is increased in the isobaric formulation. 
Lucas Varela, Gabriel Tellez (Universidad de los Andes, Colombia),   Emmanuel Trizac (University de Paris-Sud)
cond-mat.stat-mech