Heterogeneous dynamics of the three-dimensional Coulomb glass out of equilibrium

Abstract

The nonequilibrium relaxational properties of a three-dimensional Coulomb glass model are investigated by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Our results suggest a transition from stationary to nonstationary dynamics at the equilibrium glass transition temperature of the system. Below the transition the dynamic correlation functions lose time translation invariance and electron diffusion is anomalous. Two groups of carriers can be identified at each time scale: electrons whose motion is diffusive within a selected time window and electrons that during the same time interval remain confined in small regions in space. During the relaxation that follows a temperature quench an exchange of electrons between these two groups takes place and the nonequilibrium excess of diffusive electrons initially present decreases logarithmically with time as the system relaxes. This bimodal dynamical heterogeneity persists at higher temperatures when time translation invariance is restored and electron diffusion is normal. The occupancy of the two dynamical modes is then stationary and its temperature dependence reflects a crossover between a low-temperature regime with a high concentration of electrons forming fluctuating dipoles and a high-temperature regime in which the concentration of diffusive electrons is high.