Universal origin of glassy relaxation as recognized by configuration pattern matching

Relaxation processes are crucial for understanding the structural rearrangements of liquids and amorphous materials. However, the overarching principle that governs these processes across vastly different materials remains an open question. Substantial analysis has been carried out based on the motions of individual particles. Here, as an alternative, we propose viewing the global configuration as a single entity. We introduce a global order parameter, namely the inherent structure minimal displacement (IS Dmin), to quantify the variability of configurations by a pattern-matching technique. Through atomic simulations of seven model glass-forming liquids, we unify the influences of temperature, pressure and perturbation time on the relaxation dissipation, via a scaling law between the mechanical damping factor and IS Dmin. Fundamentally, this scaling reflects the curvature of the local potential energy landscape. Our findings uncover a universal origin of glassy relaxation and offer an alternative approach to studying disordered systems.

Unique Viscoelasticity and Hierarchical Relaxation Dynamics of Molecular Granular Materials

Resulting from the dense packing of subnanometer molecular clusters, molecular granular materials (MGMs) are shown to maintain high elasticity far above their apparent glass transition temperature (Tg*). However, our microscopic understanding of their structure-property relationship is still poor. Herein, 1 nm polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) are appended to a backbone chain in a brush configuration with different flexible linker chains. Assemblies of these brush polymers exhibit hierarchical relaxation dynamics with the glass transition arising from the cooperative dynamics of packed POSSs. The interaction among the assemblies can be strengthened by increasing the rigidity of linkers with the MGM relaxation modes changing from colloid- to polymer chain-like behavior, rendering their tunable viscoelasticity. This finally contributes to the decoupling of mechanical and thermal properties by showing elasticity dominant mechanical properties at a temperature 150 K above the Tg*.

Pressure-induced nonmonotonic cross-over of steady relaxation dynamics in a metallic glass

Relaxation dynamics, as a key to understand glass formation and glassy properties, remains an elusive and challenging issue in condensed matter physics. In this work, in situ high-pressure synchrotron high-energy X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy has been developed to probe the atomic-scale relaxation dynamics of a cerium-based metallic glass during compression. Although the sample density continuously increases, the collective atomic motion initially slows down as generally expected and then counterintuitively accelerates with further compression (density increase), showing an unusual nonmonotonic pressure-induced steady relaxation dynamics cross-over at ~3 GPa. Furthermore, by combining in situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction, the relaxation dynamics anomaly is evidenced to closely correlate with the dramatic changes in local atomic structures during compression, rather than monotonically scaling with either sample density or overall stress level. These findings could provide insight into relaxation dynamics and their relationship with local atomic structures of glasses.

Johari-Goldstein β relaxation in glassy dynamics originates from two-scale energy landscape

Supercooled liquids undergo complicated structural relaxation processes, which have been a long-standing problem in both experimental and theoretical aspects of condensed matter physics. In particular, past experiments widely observed for many types of molecular liquids that relaxation dynamics separated into two distinct processes at low temperatures. One of the possible interpretations is that this separation originates from the two-scale hierarchical topography of the potential energy landscape; however, it has never been verified. Molecular dynamics simulations are a promising approach to tackle this issue, but we must overcome laborious difficulties. First, we must handle a model of molecular liquids that is computationally demanding compared to simple spherical models, which have been intensively studied but show only a slower process: α relaxation. Second, we must reach a sufficiently low-temperature regime where the two processes become well-separated. Here, we handle an asymmetric dimer system that exhibits a faster process: Johari-Goldstein β relaxation. Then, we employ the parallel tempering method to access the low-temperature regime. These laborious efforts enable us to investigate the potential energy landscape in detail and unveil the first direct evidence of the topographic hierarchy that induces the β relaxation. We also successfully characterize the microscopic motions of particles during each relaxation process. Finally, we study the correlation between low-frequency modes and two relaxation processes. Our results establish a fundamental and comprehensive understanding of experimentally observed relaxation dynamics in supercooled liquids.

Relaxation Exponents of OTOCs and Overlap with Local Hamiltonians

OTOC has been used to characterize the information scrambling in quantum systems. Recent studies have shown that local conserved quantities play a crucial role in governing the relaxation dynamics of OTOC in non-integrable systems. In particular, the slow scrambling of OTOC is seen for observables that have an overlap with local conserved quantities. However, an observable may not overlap with the Hamiltonian but instead with the Hamiltonian elevated to an exponent larger than one. Here, we show that higher exponents correspond to faster relaxation, although still algebraic, and such exponents can increase indefinitely. Our analytical results are supported by numerical experiments.

Isomerism effects in relaxation dynamics of Au24(SR)16thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters

Understanding the excited state behavior of isomeric structures of thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters is still a challenging task. In this paper, based on grand unified model and ring model for describing thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters, we have predicted four isomers of Au₂₄(SR)₁₆nanoclusters. Density functional theory calculations show that the total energy of one of the predicted isomers is 0.1 eV lower in energy than previously crystallized isomer. The nonradiative relaxation dynamics simulations of Au₂₄(SH)₁₆isomers are performed to reveal the effects of structural isomerism on relaxation process of the lowest energy states, in which that most of the low-excited states consist of core states. In addition, crystallized isomer possesses the shorter e-h recombination time, whereas the most stable isomer has the longer recombination time, which may be attributed to the synergistic effect of nonadiabatic coupling and decoherence time. Our results could provide practical guidance to predict new gold nanoclusters for future experimental synthesis, and stimulate the exploration of atomic structures of same sized gold nanoclusters for photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.

Complementarity of mDSC, DMA, and DRS Techniques in the Study of Tg and Sub-Tg Transitions in Amorphous Solids: PVPVA, Indomethacin, and Amorphous Solid Dispersions Based on Indomethacin/PVPVA

Recently, glasses, a subset of amorphous solids, have gained attention in various fields, such as polymer chemistry, optical fibers, and pharmaceuticals. One of their characteristic features, the glass transition temperature (T_g) which is absent in 100% crystalline materials, influences several material properties, such as free volume, enthalpy, viscosity, thermodynamic transitions, molecular motions, physical stability, mechanical properties, etc. In addition to T_g, there may be several other temperature-dependent transitions known as sub-T_g transitions (or β-, γ-, and δ-relaxations) which are identified by specific analytical techniques. The study of T_g and sub-T_g transitions occurring in amorphous solids has gained much attention because of its importance in understanding molecular kinetics, and it requires the combination of conventional and novel characterization techniques. In the present study, three different analytical techniques [modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS)] were used to perform comprehensive qualitative/quantitative characterization of molecular relaxations, miscibility, and molecular interactions present in an amorphous polymer (PVPVA), a model drug (indomethacin, IND), and IND/PVPVA-based amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). This is the first ever reported DMA study on PVPVA in its powder form, which avoids the contribution of solvent to the mechanical properties when a self-standing polymer film is used. A good correlation between the techniques in determining the T_g value of PVPVA, IND, and IND/PVPVA-based ASDs is established, and the negligible difference (within 10 °C) is attributed to the different material properties assessed in each technique. However, the overall T_g behavior, the decrease in T_g with increase in drug loading in ASDs, is universally observed in all the above-mentioned techniques, which reveals their complementarity. DMA and DRS techniques are used to study the different sub-T_g transitions present in PVPVA, amorphous IND, and IND/PVPVA-based ASDs because these transitions are normally too weak or too broad for mDSC to detect. For IND/PVPVA-based ASDs, both techniques show a shift of sub-T_g transitions (or secondary relaxation peaks) toward the high-temperature region from -140 to -45 °C. Thus, this paper outlines the usage of different solid-state characterization techniques in understanding the different molecular dynamics present in the polymer, drug, and their interactions in ASDs with the integrated information obtained from individual techniques.

A Combined Atomic and Molecular Probe Characterization of Aromatic Hydrocarbons via PALS and ESR: Methylbenzene

A combined study of one of the simplest aromatic hydrocarbons, i.e., methylbenzene (toluene) (TOL), via the annihilation of an ortho-positronium (o-Ps) probe via positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and the rotation dynamics of nitroxide spin probe 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidinyl-1-oxy (TEMPO) using electron spin resonance (ESR) over a wide temperature range, 10–300 K, is reported. The o-Ps lifetime, τ₃, and the relative o-Ps intensity, I₃, as a function of temperature exhibit changes defining several characteristic PALS temperatures in the slowly and rapidly cooled samples. Similarly, the spectral parameter of TEMPO mobility in TOL, 2A_zz‘, and its correlation time, τ_c, reveal several effects at a set of the characteristic ESR temperatures, which were determined and compared with the PALS results. Finally, the physical origins of the changes in free volume expansion and spin probe mobility are revealed. They are reflected in a series of the mutual coincidences between the characteristic PALS and ESR temperatures and appropriate complementary thermodynamic and dynamic techniques.

Relaxation dynamics of Pd-Ni-P metallic glass: decoupling of anelastic and viscous processes

The stress relaxation dynamics of metallic glass Pd₄₀Ni₄₀P₂₀was studied in both supercooled liquid and glassy states. Time-temperature superposition was found in the metastable liquid, implying an invariant shape of the distribution of times involved in the relaxation. Once in the glass state, the distribution of relaxation times broadens as temperature and fictive temperature decrease, eventually leading to a decoupling of the relaxation in two processes. While the slow one keeps a viscous behavior, the fast one shows an anelastic nature and a time scale similar to that of the collective atomic motion measured by x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). These results suggest that the atomic dynamics of metallic glasses, as determined by XPCS at low temperatures in the glass state, can be related to the rearrangements of particles responsible of the macroscopically reversible anelastic behavior.

Opening Magnetic Hysteresis by Axial Ferromagnetic Coupling: From Mono-Decker to Double-Decker Metallacrown

Combining Ising-type magnetic anisotropy with collinear magnetic interactions in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) is a significant synthetic challenge. Herein we report a Dy[15-MC_Cu -5] (1-Dy) SMM, where a Dy^III ion is held in a central pseudo-D_5h pocket of a rigid and planar Cu₅ metallacrown (MC). Linking two Dy[15-MC_Cu -5] units with a single hydroxide bridge yields the double-decker {Dy[15-MC_Cu -5]}₂ (2-Dy) SMM where the anisotropy axes of the two Dy^III ions are nearly collinear, resulting in magnetic relaxation times for 2-Dy that are approximately 200 000 times slower at 2 K than for 1-Dy in zero external field. Whereas 1-Dy and the Y^III -diluted Dy@2-Y analogue do not show remanence in magnetic hysteresis experiments, the hysteresis data for 2-Dy remain open up to 6 K without a sudden drop at zero field. In conjunction with theoretical calculations, these results demonstrate that the axial ferromagnetic Dy-Dy coupling suppresses fast quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM). The relaxation profiles of both complexes curiously exhibit three distinct exponential regimes, and hold the largest effective energy barriers for any reported d-f SMMs up to 625 cm^-1 .

Early Relaxation Dynamics in the Photoswitchable Complex trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4 ]2

The design of photoswitchable transition metal complexes with tailored properties is one of the most important challenges in chemistry. Studies explaining the underlying mechanisms are, however, scarce. Herein, the early relaxation dynamics towards NO photoisomerization in trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4 ]2+ is elucidated by means of non-adiabatic dynamics, which provided time-resolved information and branching ratios. Three deactivation mechanisms (I, II, III) in the ratio 3:2:4 were identified. Pathways I and III involve ultrafast intersystem crossing and internal conversion, whereas pathway II involves only internal conversion.

Nonlinear Optics at Excited States of Exciton Polaritons in Two-Dimensional Atomic Crystals

Exciton polaritons (EPs) are partial-light partial-matter quasiparticles in semiconductors demonstrating striking quantum phenomena such as Bose-Einstein condensation and single-photon nonlinearity. In these phenomena, the governing process is the EP relaxation into the ground states upon excitation, where various mechanisms are extensively investigated with thermodynamic limits. However, the relaxation process becomes drastically different and could significantly advance the understanding of EP dynamics for these quantum phenomena, when excited states of EPs are involved. Here, for the first time, we observe nonlinear optical responses at the EP excited states in a monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS₂) microcavity, including dark excited states and dynamically metastable upper polariton bands. The nonlinear optics leads to unique emissions of ground states with prominent valley degree of freedom (DOF) via an anomalous relaxation process, which is applicable to a wide range of semiconductors from monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) to emerging halide perovskites. This work promises possible approaches to challenging experiments such as valley polariton condensation. Moreover, it also constructs a valley-dependent solid-state three-level system for terahertz photonics and stimulated Raman adiabatic passage.

Dynamics of Confined Short-Chain alkanol in MCM-41 by Dielectric Spectroscopy: Effects of matrix and system Treatments and Filling Factor

The dynamics of n-propanol confined in regular MCM-41 matrix with the pore size Dpore = 40 Å, under various matrix conditioning and sample confining conditions, using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), is reported. First, various drying procedures with the capacitor filling under air or N2 influence the BDS spectra of the empty MCM-41 and the confined n-PrOH/MCM-41 systems, but have a little effect on the maximum relaxation time of the main process. Finally, various filling factors of n-PrOH medium in the optimally treated MCM-41 system lead to unimodal or bimodal spectra interpreted in terms of the two distinct dynamic phases in the confined states.

Opposite Effects of SiO2 Nanoparticles on the Local α and Larger-Scale α' Segmental Relaxation Dynamics of PMMA Nanocomposites

The segmental relaxation dynamics of poly(methyl methacrylate)/silica (PMMA/SiO₂) nanocomposites with different compositions (ϕSiO2) near and above the glass transition temperature were investigated by mechanical spectroscopy. At ϕSiO2 ≤ 0.5%, the α peak temperature hardly changes with ϕSiO2, but that of α’ relaxation composed of Rouse and sub-Rouse modes decreases by 15 °C due to the increase of free volume. At ϕSiO2 ≥ 0.7%, both α and α’ relaxations shift to high temperatures because of the steric hindrance introduced by nanoparticle agglomeration. On the other hand, with increasing ϕSiO2, the peak height for α relaxation increases at ϕSiO2 ≤ 0.5% and then decreases at ϕSiO2 ≥ 0.7%, but that for α’ relaxation shows an opposite behavior. This is because at low ϕSiO2, the short-chain segments related to α relaxation can easily bypass the particles, but the longer-chain segments related to α’ relaxation cannot. At high ϕSiO2, the polymer chains were bound to the nanoparticles due to the physical adsorption effect, leading to the decrease of relaxation unit concentration involved in α relaxation. However, the dissociation of those bonds with heating and the concentration heterogeneity of polymer chains result in the increase of peak height for α’ relaxation.

Solvent- and Wavelength-Dependent Photoluminescence Relaxation Dynamics of Carbon Nanotube sp3 Defect States

Photoluminescent sp³ defect states introduced to single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through low-level covalent functionalization create new photophysical behaviors and functionality as a result of defect sites acting as exciton traps. Evaluation of relaxation dynamics in varying dielectric environments can aid in advancing a more complete description of defect-state relaxation pathways and electronic structure. Here, we exploit helical wrapping polymers as a route to suspending (6,5) SWCNTs covalently functionalized with 4-methoxybenzene in solvent systems including H₂O, D₂O, methanol, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, and toluene, spanning a range of dielectric constants from 80 to 3. Defect-state photoluminescence decays were measured as a function of emission wavelength and solvent environment. Emission decays are biexponential, with short lifetime components on the order of 65 ps and long components ranging from around 100 to 350 ps. Both short and long decay components increase as emission wavelength increases, while only the long lifetime component shows a solvent dependence. We demonstrate that the wavelength dependence is a consequence of thermal detrapping of defect-state excitons to produce mobile E₁₁ excitons, providing an important mechanism for loss of defect-state population. Deeper trap states (i.e., those emitting at longer wavelengths) result in a decreased rate for thermal loss. The solvent-independent behavior of the short lifetime component is consistent with its assignment as the characteristic time for redistribution of exciton population between bright and dark defect states. The solvent dependence of the long lifetime component is shown to be consistent with relaxation via an electronic to vibrational energy transfer mechanism, in which energy is resonantly lost to solvent vibrations in a complementary mechanism to multiphonon decay processes.

The counterbend dynamics of cross-linked filament bundles and flagella

Cross-linked filament bundles, such as in cilia and flagella, are ubiquitous in biology. They are considered in textbooks as simple filaments with larger stiffness. Recent observations of flagellar counterbend, however, show that induction of curvature in one section of a passive flagellum instigates a compensatory counter-curvature elsewhere, exposing the intricate role of the diminutive cross-linking proteins at large scales. We show that this effect, a material property of the cross-linking mechanics, modifies the bundle dynamics and induces a bimodal L² - L³ length-dependent material response that departs from the Euler-Bernoulli theory. Hence, the use of simpler theories to analyse experiments can result in paradoxical interpretations. Remarkably, the counterbend dynamics instigates counter-waves in opposition to driven oscillations in distant parts of the bundle, with potential impact on the regulation of flagellar bending waves. These results have a range of physical and biological applications, including the empirical disentanglement of material quantities via counterbend dynamics.

Unraveling the stereochemical and dynamic aspects of the catalytic site of bacterial peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase

Bacterial peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth; EC 3.1.1.29) hydrolyzes the peptidyl-tRNAs accumulated in the cytoplasm and thereby prevents cell death by alleviating tRNA starvation. X-ray and NMR studies of Vibrio cholerae Pth (VcPth) and mutants of its key residues involved in catalysis show that the activity and selectivity of the protein depends on the stereochemistry and dynamics of residues H24, D97, N118, and N14. D97-H24 interaction is critical for activity because it increases the nucleophilicity of H24. The N118 and N14 have orthogonally competing interactions with H24, both of which reduce the nucleophilicity of H24 and are likely to be offset by positioning of a peptidyl-tRNA substrate. The region proximal to H24 and the lid region exhibit slow motions that may assist in accommodating the substrate. Helix α3 exhibits a slow wobble with intermediate time scale motions of its N-cap residue N118, which may work as a flypaper to position the scissile ester bond of the substrate. Overall, the dynamics of interactions between the side chains of N14, H24, D97, and N118, control the catalysis of substrate by this enzyme.

Experimental verification of carrier multiplication in graphene

We report on the first direct experimental observation of carrier multiplication in graphene reaching a multiplication factor of up to 2 and persisting on a picoseconds time scale. Exploiting multicolor pump-probe measurement techniques, the excited nonequilibrium carrier distribution is retrieved on an ultrafast time scale. This provides access to the temporal evolution of the optically excited carrier density and thus allows quantitative conclusions on possible carrier multiplication. Microscopic time- and momentum-resolved calculations on the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of optically excited carriers confirm the observation of carrier multiplication under corresponding experimental conditions, suggesting graphene as a promising material for novel high-efficiency photodetection devices.

Lifetime shortening and fast energy-tansfer processes upon dimerization of a A-π-D-π-A molecule

Time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption experiments uncover a distinct change in the relaxation dynamics of the homo-dimer formed by two 2,5-bis[1-(4-N-methylpyridinium)ethen-2-yl)]-N-methylpyrrole ditriflate (M) units linked by a short alkyl chain when compared to that of the monomer M. Fluorescence decay traces reveal characteristic decay times of 1.1 ns and 210 ps for M and the dimer, respectively. Transient absorption spectra in the spectral range of 425-1050 nm display similar spectral features for both systems, but strongly differ in the characteristic relaxation times gathered from a global fit of the experimental data. To rationalize the data we propose that after excitation of the dimer the energy localizes on one M branch and then decays to a dark state, peculiar only of the dimer. This dark state relaxes to the ground state within 210 ps through non-radiative relaxation. The nature of the dark state is discussed in relation to different possible photophysical processes such as excimer formation and charge transfer between the two M units. Anisotropy decay traces of the probe-beam differential transmittance of M and the dimer fall on complete different time scales as well. The anisotropy decay for M is satisfactorily ascribed to rotational diffusion in DMSO, whereas for the dimer it occurs on a faster time scale and is likely caused by energy-transfer processes between the two monomer M units.