title: Confinement as a tool to probe amorphous order.
abstract: We study the effect of confinement on glassy liquids using random first order transition theory as a framework. We show that the characteristic length scale above which confinement effects become negligible is related to the point-to-set length scale introduced to measure the spatial extent of amorphous order in supercooled liquids. By confining below this characteristic size, the system becomes a glass. Eventually, for very small sizes, the effect of the boundary is so strong that any collective glassy behavior is wiped out. We clarify similarities and differences between the physical behaviors induced by confinement and by pinning particles outside a spherical cavity (the protocol introduced to measure the point-to-set length). Finally, we discuss possible numerical and experimental tests of our predictions.
authors.affiliation: IPhT, CEA/DSM-CNRS/URA 2306, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cammarota
authors.affiliation: IPhT, CEA/DSM-CNRS/URA 2306, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gradenigo
authors.affiliation: IPhT, CEA/DSM-CNRS/URA 2306, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biroli