Lecture
This lecture discusses the transition of supercooled liquids into glassy states and the subsequent creep flows. It begins by addressing the glass transition, where a supercooled liquid ceases to flow under cooling. The instructor presents a novel algorithm for extracting elementary rearrangements across a broad energy range, which aids in verifying predictions about relaxation times. The lecture contrasts two primary views on the nature of glass formation: one positing a thermodynamic phase transition and the other focusing on kinetic constraints. The instructor introduces a theory of dynamical correlations in liquids, linking local rearrangements to avalanche-type responses in disordered materials. The discussion extends to the dynamics of local barriers and their role in controlling relaxation times, emphasizing the significance of local excitations. The lecture concludes with insights into thermal avalanches in creep flows, highlighting the competition between mechanical and thermal noise in amorphous solids. This comprehensive approach provides a framework for understanding the dynamics of complex materials.