Dynamic Theory of the Glass Transition in Dense Classical Plasmas

Abstract

We present a new statistical theory of dynamic correlations for a classical one-component plasma (OCP) in strong Coulomb coupling, within the generalized viscoelastic formalism coupled with a fully convergent kinetic equation. The theory reproduces the existing molecular-dynamics simulation data both on the dynamic structure factor and on the coefficient of shear viscosity in the ordinary fluid state. We then extend the theory to those plasmas in the supercooled state, investigate the dynamic behaviors of the system, and predict the possibility of the glass transition. Relevance to laboratory experiment is pointed out through analyses of the metastable-state lifetimes against homogeneous nucleation of the crystalline state.