The Making Of A Theory Of The Vitreous Solid State: From 1 milli-K To 1 kilo-K

Abstract

This is a short account of the basic principles of a comprehensive theory of the vitreous state, looking at glasses and their eventual <<melting>> into a liquid state (the inverse glass <<transition>>) from the perspective of their low-temperature properties, then working all the way up to the melting temperature (and back again). The theory is still in the making, so only essential guidelines will be provided. There appears to be no ideal-glass transition, no ideal-glass state, but a first theoretical justification of the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman law can be provided, making glasses truly fascinating quantum as well as topological substances.

arXiv comment17 pages, 12 figures, 1 table; keynote paper to be presented at the SIPS2019 (Cyprus, 22-27 October 2019) Angell International Symposium on Molten Salt, Ionic & Glass-forming Liquids: Processing and Sustainability (7th Intl. Symp. on Molten Salt, Ionic & Glass-forming Liquids: Processing and Sustainability). Revised and improved version