A study of the static yield stress in a binary Lennard-Jones glass

The stress-strain relations and the yield behavior of a model glass (a 80:20 binary Lennard-Jones mixture) is studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. In a previous paper it was shown that, at temperatures below the glass transition temperature, Tg, the model exhibits shear banding under imposed shear. It was also suggested that this behavior is closely related to the existence of a (static) yield stress (under applied stress, the system does not flow until the stress sigma exceeds a threshold value sigmay). A thorough analysis of the static yield stress is presented via simulations under imposed stress. Furthermore, using steady shear simulations, the effect of physical aging, shear rate and temperature on the stress-strain relation is investigated. In particular, we find that the stress at the yield point (the "peak"-value of the stress-strain curve) exhibits a logarithmic dependence both on the imposed shear rate and on the "age" of the system in qualitative agreement with experiments on amorphous polymers, and on metallic glasses. In addition to the very observation of the yield stress which is an important feature seen in experiments on complex systems like pastes, dense colloidal suspensions and foams, further links between our model and soft glassy materials are found. An example is the existence of hysteresis loops in the system response to a varying imposed stress. Finally, we measure the static yield stress for our model and study its dependence on temperature. We find that for temperatures far below the mode coupling critical temperature of the model (Tc = 0.435 in Lennard-Jones units), sigmay decreases slowly upon heating followed by a stronger decrease as Tc is approached. We discuss the reliability of results on the static yield stress and give a criterion for its validity in terms of the time scales relevant to the problem.     

Shearing a glassy material: numerical tests of nonequilibrium mode-coupling approaches and experimental proposals

The predictions of a nonequilibrium schematic mode-coupling theory developed to describe the nonlinear rheology of soft glassy materials have been numerically tested in a sheared binary Lennard-Jones mixture. In this Letter, we focus on the existence, behavior, and properties of an effective temperature T(eff) for the slow modes of the fluid, as defined from a generalized fluctuation-dissipation theorem. New, simple experimental protocols to access T(eff) are proposed, and one such experiment is numerically performed. Our results give strong support to the thermodynamic interpretation of T(eff) and make it experimentally accessible in a very direct way.     

Mesure de la duree de vie de niveaux d'energie d'ions par transfert de coherence dans une collision de penning: Application aux niveaux 4f 2F72 et 2F52 de Mg+

Metastable 2³S₁ He atoms are optically oriented and their orientation is transferred to metallic ions produced by Penning collisions $\text{[He (2}{}^3\text{S}{}_1\text{)}\text{+ M →}\text{He (}{}^1\text{S}{}_0\text{)}\text{+ M}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{e}$. If r.f. transitions are induced in the 2³S₁ He level, the circularly polarized light emitted by the ions in a direction perpendicular to the static magnetic field is modulated at the r.f. frequency. The variation of the modulation amplitude with frequency depends on the lifetime of the level of the excited ion.We describe an experimental apparatus with which we measure the modulation amplitude from 1 MHz to 110 MHz. In this way the lifetime of the 4f²F_{$\text{7}\text{2}$} and ²F_{$\text{5}\text{2}$} Mg⁺ levels has been determined.     

Introducing variable cell shape methods in field theory simulations of polymers

We propose a new method for carrying out field-theoretic simulations of polymer systems under conditions of prescribed external stress, allowing for shape changes in the simulation box. A compact expression for the deviatoric stress tensor is derived in terms of the chain propagator, and it is used to monitor changes in the box shape according to a simple relaxation scheme. The method allows fully relaxed, stress free configurations to be obtained even in nontrivial morphologies, and it enables the study of morphology transitions induced by external stresses.     

Shear localization in a model glass

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that a simple model of a glassy material exhibits the shear localization phenomenon observed in many complex fluids. At low shear rates, the system separates into a fluidized shear band and an unsheared part. The two bands are characterized by a very different dynamics probed by a local intermediate scattering function. Furthermore, a stick-slip motion is observed at very small shear rates. Our results, which open the possibility of exploring complex rheological behavior using simulations, are compared to recent experiments on various soft glasses.     

Heat conduction across molecular junctions between nanoparticles

We investigate the problem of heat conduction across molecular junctions connecting two nanoparticles, both in vacuum and in a liquid environment, using classical molecular dynamics simulations. In vacuum, the well-known result of a length independent conductance is recovered; its precise value, however, is found to depend sensitively on the overlap between the vibrational spectrum of the junction and the density of states of the nanoparticles that act as thermal contacts. In a liquid environment, the conductance is constant up to a crossover length, above which a standard Fourier regime is recovered.     

The role of topology on the dynamics of the Naming Game

The Naming Game captures the essential features leading a population to agree on the use of a semiotic convention (or, more in general, an opinion). Consensus emerges through local negotiations between pairs of agents, in the absence of any central co-ordination. Thus, it is natural that topology, identifying the set of possible interactions, plays a central role in the dynamics of the model. Here, we review the role of different topological properties, pointing out that finite connectivity, combined with the small-world property, ensure the best performances in terms of memory usage and time to reach convergence.     

Facteur de landé du niveau (6s26p 7s) 3P1 du plomb et constante de structure hyperfine de l'isotope 207Pb dans ce niveau

The Landé factor g_J of the (6s² 6p 7s)( ³P₁ level of the even isotopes of lead has been measured by Fabry-Pérot interferometry. The result is: g_J=1.3500(4). The agreement with the previously measured hyperfine splitting of this level for the isotope ²⁰⁷Pb and with the level crossing results is good when small corrections (nuclear Zeeman interaction, second-order hyperfine and Zeeman corrections) are taken into account. The corrected hyperfine dipole coupling constant for this level of ²⁰⁷Pb is: A=293.60(13) mK.