Gauge theory of glass transition

A new analytical approach for the description of the glass transition in a frustrated system is suggested. The theory is based on the non-equilibrium dynamics technique, and takes into account the interaction of the local order field with the massive gauge field, which describes frustration-induced plastic deformation. The glass transition is regarded as a phase transition interrupted because of the premature critical slowing-down of one of the degrees of freedom caused by the frustrations. It is shown that freezing of the system appears when the correlation length and relaxation time of the gauge field diverge. The Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann relation for the transition kinetics and the critical exponent for the nonlinear susceptibility, 2.5∼<γ≤3, are derived in the framework of the suggested approach. An expression for the temperature dependence of the heat capacity near to the glass transition is derived. This dependence is qualitatively in good agreement with experimental data. The presented theory reproduces the characteristic form of the (φφ)t correlation function dependence on time, and explains the boson peak appearance on this curve. In addition, the function of the glass transition temperature value with cooling rate is derived; this dependence fully conforms with known experimental data