Kinetic arrest of the first order ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition in Ce(Fe0.96_{0.96}Ru0.04_{0.04})2_2 : formation of a magnetic-glass

We present results of dc magnetization and magnetic relaxation study showing the kinetic arrest of a first order ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition in Ce(Fe$_{0.96}$Ru$_{0.04}$)$_2$. This leads to the formation of a non-ergodic glass-like magnetic state. The onset of the magnetic-glass transformation is tracked through the slowing down of the magnetization dynamics. This glassy state is formed with the assistance of an external magnetic field and this is distinctly different from the well known 'spin-glass' state.Comment: 10 pages of text and 4 figure

Identical temperature dependence of the time scales of several linear-response functions of two glass-forming liquids

The frequency-dependent dielectric constant, shear and adiabatic bulk moduli, longitudinal thermal expansion coefficient, and longitudinal specific heat have been measured for two van der Waals glass-forming liquids, tetramethyl-tetraphenyl-trisiloxane (DC704) and 5-polyphenyl-4-ether. Within the experimental uncertainties the loss-peak frequencies of the measured response functions have identical temperature dependence over a range of temperatures, for which the Maxwell relaxation time varies more than nine orders of magnitude. The time scales are ordered from fastest to slowest as follows: Shear modulus, adiabatic bulk modulus, dielectric constant, longitudinal thermal expansion coefficient, longitudinal specific heat. The ordering is discussed in light of the recent conjecture that van der Waals liquids are strongly correlating, i.e., approximate single-parameter liquids.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, Substantially revised versio

Pressure-energy correlations in liquids. V. Isomorphs in generalized Lennard-Jones systems

This series of papers is devoted to identifying and explaining the properties of strongly correlating liquids, i.e., liquids with more than 90% correlation between their virial W and potential energy U fluctuations in the NVT ensemble. Paper IV [N. Gnan et al., J. Chem. Phys. v131, 234504 (2009)] showed that strongly correlating liquids have "isomorphs", which are curves in the phase diagram along which structure, dynamics, and some thermodynamic properties are invariant in reduced units. In the present paper, using the fact that reduced-unit radial distribution functions are isomorph invariant, we derive an expression for the shapes of isomorphs in the WU phase diagram of generalized Lennard-Jones systems of one or more types of particles. The isomorph shape depends only on the Lennard-Jones exponents; thus all isomorphs of standard Lennard-Jones systems (with exponents 12 and 6) can be scaled onto to a single curve. Two applications are given. One is testing the prediction that the solid-liquid coexistence curve follows an isomorph by comparing to recent simulations by Ahmed and Sadus [J. Chem. Phys. v131, 174504 (2009)]. Excellent agreement is found on the liquid side of the coexistence, whereas the agreement is worse on the solid side. A second application is the derivation of an approximate equation of state for generalized Lennard-Jones systems by combining the isomorph theory with the Rosenfeld-Tarazona expression for the temperature dependence of potential energy on isochores. It is shown that the new equation of state agrees well with simulations.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, Section on solid-liquid coexistence expande

A model for the generic alpha relaxation of viscous liquids

Dielectric measurements on molecular liquids just above the glass transition indicate that alpha relaxation is characterized by a generic high-frequency loss varying as $\omega^{-1/2}$, whereas deviations from this come from one or more low-lying beta processes [Olsen et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 86} (2001) 1271]. Assuming that long-wavelength fluctuations dominate the dynamics, a model for the dielectric alpha relaxation based on the simplest coupling between the density and dipole density fields is proposed here. The model, which is solved in second order perturbation theory in the Gaussian approximation, reproduces the generic features of alpha relaxation

Effect of androgen treatment during foetal and/or neonatal life on ovarian function in prepubertal and adult rats

We investigated the effects of different windows of testosterone propionate (TP) treatment during foetal and neonatal life in female rats to determine whether and when excess androgen exposure would cause disruption of adult reproductive function. Animals were killed prepubertally at d25 and as adults at d90. Plasma samples were taken for hormone analysis and ovaries serial sectioned for morphometric analyses. In prepubertal animals, only foetal+postnatal and late postnatal TP resulted in increased body weights, and an increase in transitory, but reduced antral follicle numbers without affecting total follicle populations. Treatment with TP during both foetal+postnatal life resulted in the development of streak ovaries with activated follicles containing oocytes that only progressed to a small antral (smA) stage and inactive uteri. TP exposure during foetal or late postnatal life had no effect upon adult reproductive function or the total follicle population, although there was a reduction in the primordial follicle pool. In contrast, TP treatment during full postnatal life (d1-25) resulted in anovulation in adults (d90). These animals were heavier, had a greater ovarian stromal compartment, no differences in follicle thecal cell area, but reduced numbers of anti-Mullerian hormone-positive smA follicles when compared with controls. Significantly reduced uterine weights lead reduced follicle oestradiol production. These results support the concept that androgen programming of adult female reproductive function occurs only during specific time windows in foetal and neonatal life with implications for the development of polycystic ovary syndrome in women

Strong pressure-energy correlations in van der Waals liquids

Strong correlations between equilibrium fluctuations of the configurational parts of pressure and energy are found in the Lennard-Jones liquid and other simple liquids, but not in hydrogen-bonding liquids like methanol and water. The correlations, that are present also in the crystal and glass phases, reflect an effective inverse power-law repulsive potential dominating fluctuations, even at zero and slightly negative pressure. In experimental data for supercritical Argon, the correlations are found to be approximately 96%. Consequences for viscous liquid dynamics are discussed.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., in pres

Excess specific heat and evidence of zero point entropy in magnetic glassy state of half-doped manganites

We show that specific heat C$_p$ has non-Debye behavior for glassy states in half-doped manganites. Irrespective of the magnetic order or electronic states, these magnetic glasses have higher C$_p$ compared to their equilibrium counterparts. The excess C$_p$ contributed by the glassy state varies linearly with temperature similar to conventional glasses indicating tunneling in the two-level systems. These glassy states show signature of zero point entropy. Magnetic glasses can be produced simply by different field cooling protocols and may be considered ideal magnetic counterpart of the conventional glass

Solidity of viscous liquids. V. Long-wavelength dominance of the dynamics

This paper is the fifth in a series exploring the physical consequences of the solidity of glass-forming liquids. Paper IV proposed a model where the density field is described by a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation of the nonconserved type with rates in $k$ space of the form $\Gamma_0+Dk^2$. The model assumes that $D\gg\Gamma_0a^2$ where $a$ is the average intermolecular distance; this inequality expresses a long-wavelength dominance of the dynamics which implies that the Hamiltonian (free energy) to a good approximation may be taken to be ultralocal. In the present paper we argue that this is the simplest model consistent with the following three experimental facts: 1) Viscous liquids approaching the glass transition do not develop long-range order; 2) The glass has lower compressibility than the liquid; 3) The alpha process involves several decades of relaxation times shorter than the mean relaxation time. The paper proceeds to list six further experimental facts characterizing equilibrium viscous liquid dynamics and shows that these are readily understood in terms of the model; some are direct consequences, others are quite natural when viewed in light of the model

Feasibility of single-order parameter description of equilibrium viscous liquid dynamics

Molecular dynamics results for the dynamic Prigogine-Defay ratio are presented for two glass-forming liquids, thus evaluating the experimentally relevant quantity for testing whether metastable-equilibrium liquid dynamics to a good approximation are described by a single parameter. For the Kob-Andersen binary Lennard-Jones mixture as well as for an asymmetric dumbbell model liquid a single-parameter description works quite well. This is confirmed by time-domain results where it is found that energy and pressure fluctuations are strongly correlated on the alpha-time scale in the NVT ensemble; in the NpT ensemble energy and volume fluctuations similarly correlate strongly.Comment: Phys. Rev. E, in pres