Physics – Condensed Matter – Soft Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
2011-03-15
Physics
Condensed Matter
Soft Condensed Matter
14 pages, 4 figures
Scientific paper
Normal modes provide a fundamental basis for understanding crucial properties of solids, such as the thermal conductivity, the heat capacity and the sound propagation. While the normal modes are excellently described by plane waves in crystals, they are far less understood in disordered systems, due to the great difficulties in characterizing the heterogeneous vibrational behaviors. Using charged colloids with long-range repulsion, we successfully make different disordered systems without any contact friction, whose normal modes can be visualized at single-particle level. In these systems, we directly tackle the long-time outstanding puzzle in condensed matter physics: the microscopic origin of the low-frequency modes in disordered systems. For the first time, we experimentally clarify that the low-frequency modes are caused by the collective resonance of relatively disordered particles (or soft structures) coupled with long-wavelength transverse excitations, settling this puzzle at single-particle level. Next to these low-frequency modes in the density of states, we also observe a plateau due to isostaticity, verifying the fundamental prediction of jamming model. Moreover, we reveal the intrinsic correlation between the low-frequency modes and the real dynamics, which may lead to a universal mechanism for aging, melting and yielding.
Schofield Andrew B.
Tan Peng
Xu Lei
Xu Ning
No associations
LandOfFree
Understanding the Low-Frequency Modes in Disordered Systems at Single-Particle Level does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Understanding the Low-Frequency Modes in Disordered Systems at Single-Particle Level, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Understanding the Low-Frequency Modes in Disordered Systems at Single-Particle Level will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-138508