Potential Energy Landscape Signatures of Slow Dynamics in Glass Forming Liquids

Published

August 1, 1999

Author(s)

Srikanth Sastry, P G. Debenedetti, F H. Stillinger, T B. Schroder, J C. Dyre, S C. Glotzer

Abstract

We study the properties of local potential energy minima (inherent structures) sampled by liquids at low temperatures as an approach to elucidating the mechanisms of the observed dynamical slow down as the glass transition temperature is approached. The onset of slow dynamics is observed to be accompanied by the sampling of progressively deeper potential energy minima. Further, evidence is found in support of a qualitative change in the inherent structures sampled in the temperature range that includes the mode coupling critical temperature T_c, such that a separation of vibrational relaxation within inherent structure basins from that due to inter-basin transitions becomes valid at temperatures T < T_c. Average inherent structure energies do not show any qualitatively significant system size dependence.

Citation

Physica A-Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications

Volume

270

Issue

No. 1-2

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

energy landscape, glasses, liquids, simulations

Citation

Sastry, S. , Debenedetti, P. , Stillinger, F. , Schroder, T. , Dyre, J. and Glotzer, S. (1999), Potential Energy Landscape Signatures of Slow Dynamics in Glass Forming Liquids, Physica A-Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=851592 (Accessed October 27, 2025)