Cause of mode-coupling theory failure at its predicted transition

Establish the theoretical reason why standard mode-coupling theory predicts a non-ergodicity transition at its critical temperature (T_MCT) that is not observed in simulations and experiments, leading to the breakdown of the theory below T_MCT.

Background

Mode-coupling theory successfully captures many qualitative features of glassy dynamics but predicts a sharp non-ergodicity transition at T_MCT that is absent in real systems.

Understanding the origin of this failure is pivotal for refining theoretical descriptions of glass formation and for extending them reliably to active systems.