title: Finite-temperature critical point of a glass transition.
abstract: We generalize the simplest kinetically constrained model of a glass-forming liquid by softening kinetic constraints, allowing them to be violated with a small rate. We demonstrate that this model supports a first-order dynamical (space-time) phase transition between active (fluid) and inactive (glass) phases. The first-order phase boundary in this softened model ends in a finite-temperature dynamical critical point, which may be present in natural systems. In this case, the glass phase has a very large but finite relaxation time. We discuss links between the dynamical critical point and quantum phase transitions, showing that dynamical phase transitions in d dimensions map to quantum transitions in the same dimension, and hence to classical thermodynamic phase transitions in d + 1 dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Yael S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Elmatad
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jack
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Garrahan