- Author
- Date
- 31-12-2016
- Title
- Nonlinear modes disentangle glassy and Goldstone modes in structural glasses
- Journal
- SciPost Physics
- Volume | Issue number
- 1 | 2
- Article number
- 016
- Number of pages
- 18
- Document type
- Article
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science (FNWI)
- Institute
- Institute for Theoretical Physics Amsterdam (ITFA)
Institute of Physics (IoP) - Abstract
-
One outstanding problem in the physics of glassy solids is understanding the statistics and properties of the low-energy excitations that stem from the disorder that characterizes these systems' microstructure. In this work we introduce a family of algebraic equations whose solutions represent collective displacement directions (modes) in the multi-dimensional configuration space of a structural glass. We explain why solutions of the algebraic equations, coined nonlinear glassy modes, are quasi-localized low-energy excitations. We present an iterative method to solve the algebraic equations, and use it to study the energetic and structural properties of a selected subset of their solutions constructed by starting from a normal mode analysis of the potential energy of a model glass. Our key result is that the structure and energies associated with harmonic glassy vibrational modes and their nonlinear counterparts converge in the limit of very low frequencies. As nonlinear modes never suffer hybridizations, our result implies that the presented theoretical framework constitutes a robust alternative definition of 'soft glassy modes' in the thermodynamic limit, in which Goldstone modes overwhelm and destroy the identity of low-frequency harmonic glassy modes.
- URL
- go to publisher's site
- Language
- English
- Persistent Identifier
- https://hdl.handle.net/11245.1/5bd9be24-6ef1-4e2e-a11a-171e58e39f26
- Downloads
-
Nonlinear modes disentangle glassy and Goldstone modes(Final published version)
Disclaimer/Complaints regulations
If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library, or send a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible.