Abstract
In strongly anisotropic quasi-1D metallic systems the charge density wave (CDW) phase transition is given a generalised Ginzburg-Landau theory on the microscopic basis of the Gorkov-Dzyaloshinskii model. In the derivation of the free energy the interchain interaction is treated in MF approximation while the interchain interactions appear through the divergent (at T=0) CDW susceptibility chi 1DCDW of the 1D system. The exponent of chi 1DCDW is found to be the only decisive factor in determining the width of the Ginzburg critical region for a fixed interchain force range. The specific heat is also calculated and discussed.