Discontinuity in Fast Dynamics at the Glass Transition of ortho-Terphenyl

作者:Hoffman David J; Fayer Michael D*
来源:Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2017, 121(45): 10417-10428.
DOI:10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b08301

摘要

The dynamics of the molecular glass former ortho-terphenyl through the glass transition were observed with two-dimensional infrared vibrational spectroscopy measurements of spectral diffusion using the small probe molecule phenylselenocyanate. Although the slow diffusive motions were not visible on the experimental time scale, a picosecond scale exponential relaxation was observed at temperatures from above to well below the glass transition temperature. The characteristic time scale has a smooth temperature dependence from the liquid into the glass phase, but the range of vibrational frequencies the probe samples displayed a discontinuity at the glass transition temperature. Complementary pump-probe experiments associate the observed motion with density fluctuations. The key features of the dynamics are reproduced with a simple corrugated well potential energy surface model. In addition, the temperature dependence of the homogeneous vibrational dephasing was found to have a T-2 functional form, where T is the absolute temperature.

  • 出版日期2017-11-16