An 'invisible order' in glass shapes vibrations in the terahertz frequency range

Although glasses exhibit disordered atomic structures, X-ray and neutron scattering reveal a subtle periodicity. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have demonstrated that this hidden periodicity--referred to as "invisible order"--plays a critical role in determining vibrational fluctuations in the terahertz (THz) frequency range, which significantly influence the physical properties of glass.