Fictive temperature and medium range order in silicate glasses: A relationship between heat capacity and boson peak

Abstract

The comparison of the heat capacity excess C _p/T ³ and of the boson peak in several silicate glasses, grossular (Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂), diopside (CaMgSi₂O₆), wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and enstatite (MgSiO₃) shows good quantitative agreement, demonstrating a common origin for both observations. The effects of different fictive temperatures T _F are also measured in both cases and show an increase in the density g(ω) of states with increasing T _F. It is concluded that quenching or annealing affects mainly the medium-range order of silicate glasses.