Department of Physics Papers
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
8-31-2011
Abstract
We analyze low-frequency vibrational modes in a two-dimensional, zero-temperature, quasistatically sheared model glass to identify a population of structural ‘‘soft spots’’ where particle rearrangements are initiated. The population of spots evolves slowly compared to the interval between particle rearrangements, and the soft spots are structurally different from the rest of the system. Our results suggest that disordered solids flow via localized rearrangements that tend to occur at soft spots, which are analogous to dislocations in crystalline solids.
Date Posted: 13 October 2011
This document has been peer reviewed.
Comments
Suggested Citation:
Manning, M.L. and Liu, A.J. (2011). Vibrational Modes Identify Soft Spots in a Sheared Disordered Packing. Physical Review Letters. 107, 108302.
© 2011 American Physical Society
http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.108302