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The melting of stable glasses is governed by nucleation-and-growth dynamics
- Source :
- Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal of Chemical Physics, American Institute of Physics, 2016, 144, pp.244506. ⟨10.1063/1.4954327⟩, Jack, R L & Berthier, L 2016, ' The melting of stable glasses is governed by nucleation-and-growth dynamics ', Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 144, no. 24, pp. 244506 . https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4954327
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- We discuss the microscopic mechanisms by which low-temperature amorphous states, such as ultrastable glasses, transform into equilibrium fluids, after a sudden temperature increase. Experiments suggest that this process is similar to the melting of crystals, thus differing from the behaviour found in ordinary glasses. We rationalize these observations using the physical idea that the transformation process takes place very close to a `hidden' equilibrium first-order phase transition, which is observed in systems of coupled replicas. We illustrate our views using simulation results for a simple two-dimensional plaquette spin model, which is known to exhibit a range of glassy behaviour. Our results suggest that nucleation-and-growth dynamics, as found near ordinary first-order transitions, is also the correct theoretical framework to analyse the melting of ultrastable glasses. Our approach provides a unified understanding of multiple experimental observations, such as propagating melting fronts, large kinetic stability ratios, and `giant' dynamic lengthscales.<br />15 pages, 9 figs
- Subjects :
- Phase transition
Range (particle radiation)
Materials science
Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
Dynamics (mechanics)
Nucleation
FOS: Physical sciences
General Physics and Astronomy
02 engineering and technology
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Kinetic energy
01 natural sciences
Stability (probability)
3. Good health
Amorphous solid
Chemical physics
0103 physical sciences
Spin model
[PHYS.COND.CM-SM]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Statistical Mechanics [cond-mat.stat-mech]
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
010306 general physics
0210 nano-technology
Condensed Matter - Statistical Mechanics
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10897690 and 00219606
- Volume :
- 144
- Issue :
- 24
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of chemical physics
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....bdbe033a7af89811c77505423623ffad