Relaxation properties in a lattice gas model with asymmetrical particles

We study the relaxation process in a two-dimensional lattice gas model, where the interactions come from the excluded volume. In this model particles have three arms with an asymmetrical shape, which results in geometrical frustration that inhibits full packing. A dynamical crossover is found at the arm percolation of the particles, from a dynamical behavior characterized by a single step relaxation above the transition, to a two-step decay below it. Relaxation functions of the self-part of density fluctuations are well fitted by a stretched exponential form, with a $\beta$ exponent decreasing when the temperature is lowered until the percolation transition is reached, and constant below it. The structural arrest of the model seems to happen only at the maximum density of the model, where both the inverse diffusivity and the relaxation time of density fluctuations diverge with a power law. The dynamical non linear susceptibility, defined as the fluctuations of the self-overlap autocorrelation, exhibits a peak at some characteristic time, which seems to diverge at the maximum density as well.Comment: 7 pages and 9 figure

Percolation and cluster Monte Carlo dynamics for spin models

A general scheme for devising efficient cluster dynamics proposed in a previous letter [Phys.Rev.Lett. 72, 1541 (1994)] is extensively discussed. In particular the strong connection among equilibrium properties of clusters and dynamic properties as the correlation time for magnetization is emphasized. The general scheme is applied to a number of frustrated spin model and the results discussed.Comment: 17 pages LaTeX + 16 figures; will appear in Phys. Rev.

Number of spanning clusters at the high-dimensional percolation thresholds

A scaling theory is used to derive the dependence of the average number of spanning clusters at threshold on the lattice size L. This number should become independent of L for dimensions d<6, and vary as log L at d=6. The predictions for d>6 depend on the boundary conditions, and the results there may vary between L^{d-6} and L^0. While simulations in six dimensions are consistent with this prediction (after including corrections of order loglog L), in five dimensions the average number of spanning clusters still increases as log L even up to L = 201. However, the histogram P(k) of the spanning cluster multiplicity does scale as a function of kX(L), with X(L)=1+const/L, indicating that for sufficiently large L the average will approach a finite value: a fit of the 5D multiplicity data with a constant plus a simple linear correction to scaling reproduces the data very well. Numerical simulations for d>6 and for d=4 are also presented.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures. Final version to appear on Physical Review

Glass glass transition and new dynamical singularity points in an analytically solvable p-spin glass like model

We introduce and analytically study a generalized p-spin glass like model that captures some of the main features of attractive glasses, recently found by Mode Coupling investigations, such as a glass/glass transition line and dynamical singularity points characterized by a logarithmic time dependence of the relaxation. The model also displays features not predicted by the Mode Coupling scenario that could further describe the attractive glasses behavior, such as aging effects with new dynamical singularity points ruled by logarithmic laws or the presence of a glass spinodal line

Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of frozen systems in inherent states

We discuss a Statistical Mechanics approach in the manner of Edwards to the ``inherent states'' (defined as the stable configurations in the potential energy landscape) of glassy systems and granular materials. We show that at stationarity the inherent states are distributed according a generalized Gibbs measure obtained assuming the validity of the principle of maximum entropy, under suitable constraints. In particular we consider three lattice models (a diluted Spin Glass, a monodisperse hard-sphere system under gravity and a hard-sphere binary mixture under gravity) undergoing a schematic ``tap dynamics'', showing via Monte Carlo calculations that the time average of macroscopic quantities over the tap dynamics and over such a generalized distribution coincide. We also discuss about the general validity of this approach to non thermal systems.Comment: 10 pages, 16 figure

Invaded cluster algorithm for a tricritical point in a diluted Potts model

The invaded cluster approach is extended to 2D Potts model with annealed vacancies by using the random-cluster representation. Geometrical arguments are used to propose the algorithm which converges to the tricritical point in the two-dimensional parameter space spanned by temperature and the chemical potential of vacancies. The tricritical point is identified as a simultaneous onset of the percolation of a Fortuin-Kasteleyn cluster and of a percolation of "geometrical disorder cluster". The location of the tricritical point and the concentration of vacancies for q = 1, 2, 3 are found to be in good agreement with the best known results. Scaling properties of the percolating scaling cluster and related critical exponents are also presented.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Mode-coupling theory predictions for a limited valency attractive square-well model

Recently we have studied, using numerical simulations, a limited valency model, i.e. an attractive square well model with a constraint on the maximum number of bonded neighbors. Studying a large region of temperatures $T$ and packing fractions $\phi$, we have estimated the location of the liquid-gas phase separation spinodal and the loci of dynamic arrest, where the system is trapped in a disordered non-ergodic state. Two distinct arrest lines for the system are present in the system: a {\it (repulsive) glass} line at high packing fraction, and a {\it gel} line at low $\phi$ and $T$. The former is essentially vertical ($\phi$-controlled), while the latter is rather horizontal ($T$-controlled) in the $(\phi-T)$ plane. We here complement the molecular dynamics results with mode coupling theory calculations, using the numerical structure factors as input. We find that the theory predicts a repulsive glass line -- in satisfactory agreement with the simulation results -- and an attractive glass line which appears to be unrelated to the gel line.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures. To appear in J. Phys. Condens. Matter, special issue: "Topics in Application of Scattering Methods for Investigation of Structure and Dynamics of Soft Condensed Matter", Fiesole, November 200

Percolation transition and the onset of non exponential relaxation in fully frustrated models

We numerically study the dynamical properties of fully frustrated models in 2 and 3 dimensions. The results obtained support the hypothesis that the percolation transition of the Kasteleyn-Fortuin clusters corresponds to the onset of stretched exponential autocorrelation functions in systems without disorder. This dynamical behavior may be due to the ``large scale'' effects of frustration, present below the percolation threshold. Moreover these results are consistent with the picture suggested by Campbell et al. in space of configurations.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures, revised versio

Non exponential relaxation in fully frustrated models

We study the dynamical properties of the fully frustrated Ising model. Due to the absence of disorder the model, contrary to spin glass, does not exhibit any Griffiths phase, which has been associated to non-exponential relaxation dynamics. Nevertheless we find numerically that the model exhibits a stretched exponential behavior below a temperature T_p corresponding to the percolation transition of the Kasteleyn-Fortuin clusters. We have also found that the critical behavior of this clusters for a fully frustrated q-state spin model at the percolation threshold is strongly affected by frustration. In fact while in absence of frustration the q=1 limit gives random percolation, in presence of frustration the critical behavior is in the same universality class of the ferromagnetic q=1/2-state Potts model.Comment: 7 pages, RevTeX, 11 figs, to appear on Physical Review