Does a Growing Static Length Scale Control the Glass Transition?

Matthieu Wyart, Michael E Cates

OAI: oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/271085 • DOI: 10.17863/CAM.18053

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.

0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy