Metastability and Crystallization in Hard-Sphere Systems

We present results of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of hard sphere systems at values of the volume fraction φ along the disordered, metastable branch of the phase diagram up to random close-packing φ_c. By quantifying the degree of local order, we determine the necessary conditions to obtain a truly random system, enabling us to compute the pressure carefully along the entire metastable branch. Near φ_c we show that the pressure scales as (φ_c-φ)^-γ, where γ = 1 and φ_c = 0.644±0.005. Contrary to previous studies, we find no evidence of a thermodynamic glass transition and find that after long times the system crystallizes for all φ above the melting point.