2012/01/31 by Glen M. Hocky, Thomas E. Markland, David R. Reichman · 146 citations
Materials Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Computer science #Connection (principal bundle) #Distribution (mathematics) #Glass transition #Length scale #Liquid Crystal Research Advancements #Material Dynamics and Properties #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Nuclear magnetic resonance #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Relaxation (psychology) #Scale (ratio) #Set (abstract data type) #Simple (philosophy) #Statistical physics #Supercooling #Theoretical and Computational Physics #Thermodynamics #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.108.225506
published in Physical Review Letters 108(22), 225506 (American Physical Society) · 8 pages, 5 figures, 1 table
arxiv created 2012/06/01 · openalex publication_date 2012/06/01 · arxiv updated 2012/06/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
It has been demonstrated recently that supercooled liquids sharing simple structural features (e.g. pair distribution functions) may exhibit strikingly distinct dynamical behavior. Here we show that a more subtle structural feature correlates with relaxation times in three simulated systems that have nearly identical radial distribution functions but starkly different dynamical behavior. In particular, for the first time we determine the thermodynamic "point-to-set" length scale in several canonical model systems and demonstrate the quantitative connection between this length scale and the growth of relaxation times. Our results provide clues necessary for distinguishing competing theories of the glass transition.