Anharmonicity and quasi-localization of the excess low-frequency vibrations in jammed solids

We compare the harmonic and anharmonic properties of the vibrational modes in 3-dimensional jammed packings of frictionless spheres interacting via repulsive, finite range potentials. A crossover frequency is apparent in the density of states, the diffusivity and the participation ratio of the modes. At this frequency, which shifts to zero at the jamming threshold, the vibrational modes have a very small participation ratio implying that the modes are quasi-localized. The most anharmonic modes occur at low frequency which is opposite to what is normally found in crystals. The lowest frequency modes have the strongest response to the pressure and the lowest energy barriers to mechanical failure.