Breakdown of excess entropy scaling for systems with thermodynamic anomalies.

This paper presents a simulation study of the applicability of the Rosenfeld entropy scaling to the systems which cannot be approximated by the effective hard spheres. Three systems are studied: the Herzian spheres, the Gauss core model, and a soft repulsive shoulder potential. These systems demonstrate diffusion anomalies at low temperatures: the diffusion coefficient increases with increasing density or pressure. It is shown that for the first two systems belonging to a class of bounded potentials, the Rosenfeld scaling formula is valid only in the infinite-temperature limit where there are no anomalies. For the soft repulsive shoulder potential, the scaling formula is valid already at sufficiently low temperatures, however, out of the anomaly range.

Waterlike thermodynamic anomalies in a repulsive-shoulder potential system.

We report a computer-simulation study of the equilibrium phase diagram of a three-dimensional system of particles with a repulsive-shoulder potential. The phase diagram was obtained using free-energy calculations. At low temperatures, we observe a number of distinct crystal phases. We show that at certain values of the potential parameters the system exhibits the waterlike thermodynamic anomalies: a density anomaly and a diffusion anomaly. The anomalies disappear with increasing the repulsive step width: more precisely, their locations move to the region where the crystalline phase is stable.

Quasibinary amorphous phase in a three-dimensional system of particles with repulsive-shoulder interactions.

We report a computer-simulation study of the equilibrium phase diagram of a three-dimensional system of particles with a repulsive-step potential. Using free-energy calculations, we have determined the equilibrium phase diagram of this system. At low temperatures, we observe a number of distinct crystal phases. However, under certain conditions the system undergoes a glass transition in a regime where the liquid appears thermodynamically stable. We argue that the appearance of this amorphous low-temperature phase can be understood by viewing this one-component system as a quasibinary mixture.

Low-temperature phase transition in the three-state Potts glass.

The low-temperature instability of one-step replica symmetry breaking (1RSB) phase in three-state Potts spin glass is obtained explicitly. The temperature of the instability is higher than the temperature where the 1RSB entropy becomes negative. The conjecture of the possibility of the low-temperature full RSB is supported.