An overview of the theories of the glass transition

TL;DR

This paper reviews various theories of the glass transition, discussing their foundations, progress over the last twenty years, and the role of collective behavior and universality in understanding the phenomenon.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of different theoretical approaches, clarifies their compatibility, and highlights recent progress in understanding spatial heterogeneity and collective dynamics.

Findings

Progress in understanding spatial heterogeneity

Emergence of characteristic length scales

Support for theories linking glass formation to collective behavior

Abstract

The topic of the glass transition gives rise to a a wide diversity of views. It is, accordingly, characterized by a lack of agreement on which would be the most profitable theoretical perspective. In this chapter, I provide some elements that can help sorting out the many theoretical approaches, understanding their foundations, as well as discussing their validity and mutual compatibility. Along the way, I describe the progress made in the last twenty years, including new insights concerning the spatial heterogeneity of the dynamics and the characteristic length scales associated with the glass transition. An emphasis is put on those theories that associate glass formation with growing collective behavior and emerging universality.