Universal Density of Low-Frequency States in Amorphous Solids at Finite Temperatures.

Abstract

It has been established that the low frequency quasilocalized modes of amorphous solids at zero temperature exhibit universal density of states, depending on the frequencies as D(ω)∼ω^{4}. It remains an open question whether this universal law extends to finite temperatures. In this Letter we show that well quenched model glasses at temperatures as high as T_{g}/3 possess the same universal density of states. The only condition required is that average particle positions stabilize before thermal diffusion destroys the cage structure of the material. The universal density of quasilocalized low frequency modes refers then to vibrations around the thermally averaged configuration of the material.