Sk. Nayak et al., DYNAMICS AND INSTABILITIES NEAR THE GLASS-TRANSITION - FROM CLUSTERS TO CRYSTALS, The Journal of chemical physics, 108(1), 1998, pp. 234-239
Molecular dynamics simulation has been used to explore the evolution,
kinetics. and dynamics of a liquid-glass transition in clusters and bu
lk matter. We demonstrate a dynamical indicator that characterizes the
onset of the glass transition in clusters and is consistent with othe
r indicators of glass transitions in bulk systems. This criterion, bas
ed on changes in chaotic behavior as measured by the largest Liapunov
exponent, reveals aspects of the microscopic processes associated with
the phase change from liquid to glass, and provides a connection betw
een the thermodynamic and dynamical behavior of systems and their mult
idimensional potential surfaces. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physic
s.