  Two- and three-dimensional electron gases with a uniform neutralizing
background are studied at negative compressibility. Parametrized expressions
for the dielectric function are used to access this strong-coupling regime,
where the screened Coulomb potential becomes overall attractive for like
charges. Closely examining these expressions reveals that the ground state with
a periodic modulation of the charge density, albeit exponentially damped,
replaces the homogeneous one at positive compressibility. The wavevector
characterizing the new ground state depends on the density and is complex,
having a positive imaginary part, as does the homogeneous ground state, and
real part, as does the genuine charge density wave.

Condensed Matter