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Atomic Dynamics in Simple Liquid: de Gennes Narrowing Revisited.
Bin Wu1, Takuya Iwashita2, Takeshi Egami1,2,3
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shull Wollan Center-Joint Institute of Neutron Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|April 26, 2018
Summary
The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon in complex systems is re-examined. We propose a new interpretation based on the van Hove correlation function, revealing distance-dependent relaxation times that vary with dimensionality.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon is widely observed in complex systems like liquids and polymers.
- It is typically explained by enhanced cooperativity, affecting dynamics near peak scattering intensity.
- Neutron and X-ray scattering are key experimental techniques for studying these dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the origin of the de Gennes narrowing phenomenon.
- To analyze the time-dependent pair correlation function (van Hove correlation function) in model liquids.
- To explore the influence of dimensionality on dynamics and relaxation times.
Main Methods:
- Examination of the van Hove correlation function for a model liquid.
- Simulations or analysis across two, three, and four dimensions.
- Development of a heuristic geometrical model to explain findings.
Main Results:
- Identified a monotonic increase in relaxation time with distance.
- Observed that the distance dependence of relaxation time varies significantly with system dimensionality.
- Challenged the conventional explanation solely based on enhanced cooperativity.
Conclusions:
- The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon may have an alternative explanation rooted in geometrical factors and distance-dependent dynamics.
- Findings offer new insights into interpreting scattering data and understanding alpha-relaxation times.
- The study highlights the critical role of dimensionality in complex system dynamics.
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