Does a Growing Static Length Scale Control the Glass Transition?

2017/05/31 by Matthieu Wyart, Michael E. Cates · 6 citations
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Condensed matter physics #Coupling (piping) #Diffusion #Energy landscape #Glass properties and applications #Glass transition #Length scale #Material Dynamics and Properties #Materials science #Nuclear magnetic resonance #Physics #Polymer #Quantum mechanics #Relaxation (psychology) #Scale (ratio) #Slowdown #Statistical physics #Swap (finance) #Theoretical and Computational Physics #Thermodynamics #cond-mat.dis-nn

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.119.195501

published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 195501 (2017)

arxiv created 2017/09/28 · openalex publication_date 2017/11/09 · arxiv updated 2017/11/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

Several theories of the glass transition propose that the structural relaxation time τ_α is controlled by a growing static length scale ξ that is determined by the free energy landscape but not by the local dynamic rules governing its exploration. We argue, based on recent simulations using particle-radius-swap dynamics, that only a modest factor in the increase in τ_α on approach to the glass transition may stem from the growth of a static length, with a vastly larger contribution attributable, instead, to a slowdown of local dynamics. This reinforces arguments that we base on the observed strong coupling of particle diffusion and density fluctuations in real glasses.

Citations

• On the rigidity of a hard-sphere glass near random close packing
• On the Temperature Dependence of Cooperative Relaxation Properties in Glass-Forming Liquids
• Fast Monte Carlo algorithm for supercooled soft spheres
• Spatial correlations in the dynamics of glassforming liquids: Experimental determination of their temperature dependence
• Theory of Structural Glasses and Supercooled Liquids
• Supercooled Liquids and Glasses
• Spatially Heterogeneous Dynamics in Supercooled Liquids
• Universal spectrum of normal modes in low-temperature glasses
• Models and Algorithms for the Next Generation of Glass Transition Studies

Cited by

• Computational methods toward ultrastable glasses
• Diffusion-Coefficient Power Laws and Defect-Driven Glassy Dynamics in Swap Acceleration
• Pinching a glass reveals key properties of its soft spots
• Local versus Global Stretched Mechanical Response in a Supercooled Liquid near the Glass Transition
• Theory for the dynamics of glassy mixtures with particle size swaps
• Matthieu Wyart [wikipedia]

Related

• Probing a Critical Length Scale at the Glass Transition
• Growing Static and Dynamic Length Scales in a Glass-Forming Liquid
• Non-trivial activity dependence of static length scale and critical tests of active random first-order transition theory
• On the nature of the glass transition in atomistic models of glass formers
• Growth of Dynamic and Static Correlations in the Aging Dynamics of a Glass-Forming Liquid