Physics of glassy systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent theoretical advances in understanding glassy systems, such as spin and structural glasses, emphasizing principles, simulations, and testable fluctuation dissipation relations.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified theoretical framework for glassy systems without replicas and connects theory with experimental testability.

Findings

Theoretical principles explained in accessible language

Comparison of theory with large-scale simulations

Introduction of generalized fluctuation dissipation relation

Abstract

In this talk I present some of the recent theoretical results that have been obtained on glassy systems like spin glasses or structural glasses. The physical principles at the basis of the theory are explained in a simple language (without using replicas) and the results are compared with large scale numerical simulations. Finally we introduce the generalized fluctuation dissipation relation that can be directly tested in experiments with the present day technology.