Excess of low frequency vibrational modes and glass transition: A molecular dynamics study for soft spheres at constant pressure

Abstract

Using molecular dynamics at constant pressure, the relationship between the excess of low frequency vibrational modes (known as the boson peak) and the glass transition is investigated for a truncated Lennard-Jones potential. It is observed that the quadratic mean displacement is enhanced by such modes, as predicted using a harmonic Hamiltonian for metastable states. As a result, glasses loose mechanical stability at lower temperatures than the corresponding crystal, since the Lindemann criteria are observed, as is also deduced from density functional theory. Finally, we found that the average force and elastic constant are reduced in the glass due to such excess of modes. The ratio between average elastic constants can be approximated using the 2/3 rule between melting and glass transition temperatures. (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3246805]