0000000000615890
AUTHOR
Th. Theenhaus
Dynamical precursor of nematic order in a dense fluid of hard ellipsoids of revolution
We investigate hard ellipsoids of revolution in a parameter regime where no long range nematic order is present but already finite size domains are formed which show orientational order. Domain formation leads to a substantial slowing down of a collective rotational mode which separates well from the usual microscopic frequency regime. A dynamic coupling of this particular mode into all other modes provides a general mechanism which explains an excess peak in spectra of molecular fluids. Using molecular dynamics simulation on up to 4096 particles and on solving the molecular mode coupling equation we investigate dynamic properties of the peak and prove its orientational origin.
Microscopic Dynamics of Hard Ellipsoids in their Liquid and Glassy Phase
To investigate the influence of orientational degrees of freedom onto the dynamics of molecular systems in its supercooled and glassy regime we have solved numerically the mode-coupling equations for hard ellipsoids of revolution. For a wide range of volume fractions $\phi$ and aspect ratios $x_{0}$ we find an orientational peak in the center of mass spectra $\chi_{000}^{''}(q,\omega)$ and $\phi_{000}^{''} (q,\omega)$ about one decade below a high frequency peak. This orientational peak is the counterpart of a peak appearing in the quadrupolar spectra $\chi_{22m}^{''}(q,\omega)$ and $\phi_{22m}^{''}(q,\omega)$. The latter peak is almost insensitive on $\phi$ for $x_{0}$ close to one, i.e. f…
Microscopic dynamics of molecular liquids and glasses: Role of orientations and translation-rotation coupling
We investigate the dynamics of a fluid of dipolar hard spheres in its liquid and glassy phase, with emphasis on the microscopic time or frequency regime. This system shows rather different glass transition scenarios related to its rich equilibrium behavior which ranges from a simple hard sphere fluid to a long range ferroelectric orientational order. In the liquid phase close to the ideal glass transition line and in the glassy regime a medium range orientational order occurs leading to a softening of an orientational mode. To investigate the role of this mode we use the molecular mode-coupling equations to calculate the spectra $\phi_{lm}^{\prime \prime}(q,\omega)$ and $\chi _{lm}''(q,\ome…