Roles of icosahedral and crystal-like order in the hard spheres glass transition

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1974
• Publication Date: 2012-07-24T10:40:27Z
• Authors: Mathieu Leocmach; Hajime Tanaka
• Keywords: Hard spheres; Crystal (programming language); Cooperativity

A link between structural ordering and slow dynamics has recently attracted much attention from the context of origin glassy dynamics. Candidates for such order are icosahedral, exotic amorphous, crystal-like. Each type is linked to a different scenario glass transition. Here we experimentally access local in polydisperse hard spheres by particle-level confocal microscopy. We identify key structures as icosahedral FCC-like order, both statistically associated with particles. However, when approaching transition, does not grow size whereas crystal-like grows. It latter that governs dynamic heterogeneity. This questions direct role suggests growing lengthscale essential slowing down nonlocal cooperativity particle motion.