Specific-heat spectroscopy and dielectric susceptibility measurements of salol at the glass transition

Abstract

We compare specific-heat-spectroscopy and dielectric susceptibility measurements of salol (phenyl salicylate) near the glass transition. The specific-heat-spectroscopy measurements cover 5 decades in frequency; the dielectric susceptibility measurements cover 13 decades. Over their common range, both probes measure the same characteristic relaxation time. In contrast to the viscosity measurements of salol reported in the literature, the characteristic relaxation time measured by these techniques shows non-Arrhenius behavior near ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{g}}$. The Vogel-Fulcher divergence temperature is consistent with the Kauzmann temperature. As is seen in other glass formers, the relaxation widths broaden rapidly with decreasing temperature.