Microscopic theory of heterogeneity and nonexponential relaxations in supercooled liquids. |
| |
Authors: | X Xia P G Wolynes |
| |
Institution: | Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. |
| |
Abstract: | Recent experiments show that supercooled liquids around the glass transition temperature are "dynamically heterogeneous" H. Sillescu, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 243, 81 (1999)]. Such heterogeneity is expected from the random first order transition theory of the glass transition. Using a microscopic approach based on this theory, we derive a relation between the departure from Debye relaxation as characterized by the beta value of a stretched exponential response function, phi(t) = e(-(t/tau(KWW))beta), and the fragility of the liquid. The beta value is also predicted to depend on temperature and to vanish as the ideal glass transition is approached at the Kauzmann temperature. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|