We propose a first principles computation of the equilibrium thermodynamics of simple fragile glasses starting from the two body interatomic potential. A replica formulation translates this problem into that of a gas of interacting molecules, each molecule being built of $m$ atoms, and having a gyration radius (related to the cage size) which vanishes at zero temperature. We use a small cage expansion, valid at low temperatures, which allows us to compute the cage size, the specific heat (which follows the Dulong and Petit law), and the configurational entropy.

• Received 13 August 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.747