Mode-coupling theory for the glassy dynamics of a diatomic probe molecule immersed in a simple liquid - art. no. 011206

Generalizing the mode-coupling theory fur ideal liquid-glass transitions, e quations of motion are derived for the correlation functions describing the glassy dynamics of a diatomic probe molecule immersed in a simple glass-fo rming system. The molecule is described in the interaction-site representat ion and the equations are solved for a dumbbell molecule consisting of two fused hard spheres in a hard-sphere system. The results for the molecule's arrested position in the glass state and the reorientational correlators fo r angular-momentum index l = 1 and l = 2 near the glass transition are comp ared with those obtained previously within a theory based on a tensor-densi ty description of the molecule in order to demonstrate that the two approac hes yield equivalent results. For strongly hindered reorientational motion, the dipole-relaxation spectra for the cu process can be mapped on the diel ectric-loss spectra of glycerol if a rescaling is performed according to a suggestion by Dixon ct nl. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 1108 (1990)]. It is demons trated that the glassy dynamics is independent of the molecule's inertia pa rameters.