One-dimensional quantum liquids with power-law interactions: the Luttinger staircase

We study one-dimensional fermionic and bosonic gases with repulsive power-law interactions 1/|x|(β), with β>1, in the framework of Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) theory. We obtain an accurate analytical expression linking the TLL parameter to the microscopic Hamiltonian, for arbitrary β and strength of the interactions. In the presence of a small periodic potential, power-law interactions make the TLL unstable towards the formation of a cascade of lattice solids with fractional filling, a "Luttinger staircase." Several of these quantum phases and phase transitions are realized with ground state polar molecules and weakly bound magnetic Feshbach molecules.