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Depinning by Fracture in a Glassy Background

M. B. Hastings·C. J. Olson Reichhardt·C. Reichhardt
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Abstract

We force a single particle through a two-dimensional simulated glass. We find that the particle velocity obeys a robust power law that persists to drives well above threshold. As the single driven particle moves, it induces cooperative distortions in the surrounding medium. We show theoretically that a fracture model for these distortions produces power law behavior, and discuss implications for experimental probes of soft matter systems.

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M. B. Hastings, C. J. Olson Reichhardt, C. Reichhardt. 2002-09-24. Depinning by Fracture in a Glassy Background. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.90.098302

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