Does frequency-temperature superposition hold in deeply super-cooled liquids?

Abstract

The temperature evolution of the broadband $10^{-6}$-$10^{10}$ Hz dielectric susceptibility of the paradigmatic glass formers glycerol, propylene carbonate, and fluoro-aniline is analyzed assuming a three-step relaxation due to the $\alpha$-process, its excess wing, and a $\beta$-process. We find that the $\alpha$-peak and the wing can be described by susceptibility functions with temperature-independent high-frequency exponents, while the relative weight of these contributions does depend on the temperature. The excess wing and the $\beta$-process are distinct phenomena; in particular, the relaxation strength of the excess wing grows with decreasing the temperature, contrary to that of the $\beta$-process. In our interpretation, the frequency-temperature superposition of the $\alpha$-process is valid for all temperatures; in the case of glycerol, a typical $\beta$-process is unambiguously identified for the first time.

5 pages, 4 figures