Frozen structural disorder in a pseudospin model with barriers

A pseudospin model for describing structurally disordered crystals is justi fied and developed. It includes the finite energy barrier between states at the site. A metastable glass state in the model is investigated by the Mon te Carlo method. The temperature dependences of the average energy, order p arameter, Edwards-Anderson parameter, and autocorrelation function are dete rmined. It is shown that the glass state is maintained to a certain tempera ture, after which a devitrification occurs. Features are observed in the be havior of the specific heat and susceptibility, and an anomalous slowing of the relaxation in the devitrification region is seen. The role of the ener gy barrier in the formation of the glassy state is discussed. (C) 2000 Amer ican Institute of' Physics. [S1063-777X(00)00605-8].