# Probing the degree of heterogeneity within a shear band of a model glass

## TL;DR

This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to reveal that density variations along shear bands in metallic glasses are strongly linked to changes in composition, coordination, viscosity, and heat, mediated by elastic effects.

## Contribution

It demonstrates the correlation between density variations and compositional and structural heterogeneity within shear bands in metallic glasses using simulation data.

## Key findings

- Density variations are correlated with compositional changes.
- Shear events occur at nanometer scales, matching experimental observations.
- Elastic effects mediate localized heterogeneities.

## Abstract

Recent experiments provide evidence for density variations along shear bands (SB) in metallic glasses with a length scale of a few hundreds nanometers. Via molecular dynamics simulations of a generic binary glass model, here we show that this is strongly correlated with variations of composition, coordination number, viscosity and heat generation. Individual shear events along the SB-path show a mean distance of a few nanometers, comparable to recent experimental findings on medium range order. The aforementioned variations result from these localized perturbations, mediated by elasticity.