Selected aspects of recent progress in the study of
supercooled liquids and glasses are presented in this
review.
As an introduction for nonspecialists, several basic features of
the dynamics and thermodynamics of supercooled
liquids and glasses are described. Among these are nonexponential
relaxation functions, non-Arrhenius
temperature dependences, and the Kauzmann temperature. Various
theoretical models which attempt to explain
these basic features are presented next. These models are
conveniently categorized according to the temperature
regimes deemed important by their authors. The major portion of
this review is given to a summary of
current experimental and computational research. The utility of
mode coupling theory is addressed. Evidence
is discussed for new relaxation mechanisms and new time and length
scales in supercooled liquids. Relaxations
in the glassy state and significance of the “boson peak” are also
addressed.