Analysis of a growing dynamic length scale in a glass-forming binary hard-sphere mixture

Abstract: We examine a length scale that characterizes the spatial extent of heterogeneous dynamics in a glass-forming binary hard-sphere mixture up to the mode-coupling volume fraction phi_c. First, we characterize the system's dynamics. Then, we utilize a new method [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 217801 (2010)] to extract and analyze the ensemble independent dynamic susceptibility chi_4(t) and the dynamic correlation length xi(t) for a range of times between the beta and alpha relaxation times. We find that in this time range the dynamic correlation length follows a volume fraction independent curve xi(t) ~ ln(t). For longer times, xi(t) departs from this curve and remains constant up to the largest time at which we can determine the length accurately. In addition to the previously established correlation tau_alpha ~ exp[xi(tau_alpha)] between the alpha relaxation time, tau_alpha, and the dynamic correlation length at this time, xi(tau_alpha), we also find a similar correlation for the diffusion coefficient D ~ exp[xi(tau_alpha)^theta] with theta approximately 0.6. We discuss the relevance of these findings for different theories of the glass transition.