W6. Statistical Physics of Glasses

Workshop organized by:
G. Jug, A. Loidl and H.Tanaka

We propose a Topical Workshop relating to Recent Developments in the Statistical Physics of Glasses. Tanaka and Jug have been showing theoretically in recent years, but also Loidl experimentally, that the statistical mechanics approach to the physics of glasses should be fruitfully amended to fully comprehend the role of partially ordered heterogeneities in the structure of glass-forming systems both in the supercooled state and - especially - in the solid-state. Evidence for hidden partial order in liquids is also beginning to be discussed by the computational physicists. While in the supercooled liquid state these heterogeneities (there, dynamical) are now fully appreciated, in the solid glassy state their role has only begun to be understood. Experiments at temperatures well below the glass transformation region can only be interpreted by allowing the structure to be characterized by quasi-ordered heterogeneities (now static, almost). There is evidence for both solid-like and liquid-like regions below Tg and the statistical physics of glasses in the solid-state should take these regions into full account to explain the physical properties of glass. It would be useful if the Statistical Physics Community in Europe could be brought to be aware of these recent developments going on in this important domain of equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics of topologically disordered systems. The concepts of quasi-order and heterogeneous visco-elasticity are also beginning to be considered responsible for the origin of the much-debated issue of the “boson peak” in glasses, a ubiquitous phenomenon at intermediate-low temperatures.