Cluster Size Distributions of Single Particle Jumps in Amorphous SiO₂

We study the aging dynamics of the strong glass former SiO₂
via molecular dynamics simulations. Our system consists of
38416 Si and 76832 O atoms, is well equilibrated at 5000 K,
then instantly quenched to a temperature below the glass transition,
and then aged for up to 16 ns. At the low temperature,
we use single particle trajectories to identify single particle
jump events when a particle escapes its cage formed by its neighbors.
To study how these jump events are correlated in space
and time, we find clusters of jumping particles. We will present
cluster size distributions for three low temperatures (2500 K,
2750 K, 3000 K),for several aging times, and for various cluster definitions:
clusters of simultaneously jumping particles,
space-time clusters (jump events which are neighbors in
space and time), and clusters of irreversible
and reversible (to the previous cage site returning)
jumping particles.