Entropy-vanishing transition and glassy dynamics in frustrated spins

Abstract

In an effort to understand the glass transition, the dynamics of a non-randomly frustrated spin model has been analyzed. The phenomenology of the spin model is similar to that of a supercooled liquid undergoing the glass transition. The slow dynamics can be associated with the presence of extended string-like structures which demarcate regions of fast spin flips. An entropy-vanishing transition, with the string density as the order parameter, is related to the observed glass transition in the spin model.

4 pages,5 figures, accepted in PRL January 2001