Results for an anisotropic Coulomb interaction potential

Studies of systems of particles interacting with an anisotropic interaction potential are generally much more difficult than those with an isotropic interaction potential. In this work we analyze the properties of an anisotropic Coulomb interaction potential that has been recently considered mainly in studies of quantum Hall liquids. It is shown that this interaction potential has interesting properties that allow one to speculate, on a qualitative basis, the possible existence of novel phases of matter with liquid crystalline order in its presence.