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arXiv · 1003.3161

Finite-temperature critical point of a glass transition

Yael S. Elmatad·Robert L. Jack·Juan P. Garrahan·David Chandler
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Abstract

We generalize the simplest kinetically constrained model of a glass-forming liquid by softening kinetic constraints, allowing them to be violated with a small finite rate. We demonstrate that this model supports a first-order dynamical (space-time) phase transition, similar to those observed with hard constraints. In addition, we find that the first-order phase boundary in this softened model ends in a finite-temperature dynamical critical point, which we expect to be present in natural systems. We discuss links between this critical point and quantum phase transitions, showing that dynamical phase transitions in $d$ dimensions map to quantum transitions in the same dimension, and hence to classical thermodynamic phase transitions in $d+1$ dimensions. We make these links explicit through exact mappings between master operators, transfer matrices, and Hamiltonians for quantum spin chains.

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Yael S. Elmatad, Robert L. Jack, Juan P. Garrahan, David Chandler. 2010-03-16. Finite-temperature critical point of a glass transition. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1006306107

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