We conduct nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to measure the shear stress $\sigma$, the average inherent structure energy $⟨E_{\mathrm{IS}}⟩$, and the effective temperature $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ of a sheared model glass as a function of bath temperature $T$ and shear strain rate $\dot{\gamma }$. For $T$ above the glass transition temperature $T_0$, the rheology approaches a Newtonian limit and $T_{\mathrm{eff}}\to T$ as $\dot{\gamma }\to 0$, while for $T<T_0$, $\sigma$ approaches a yield stress and $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ approaches a limiting value near $T_0$. In the shear-dominated regime at high $T$, high $\dot{\gamma }$ or at low $T$, we find that $\sigma$ and $⟨E_{\mathrm{IS}}⟩$ each collapse onto a single curve as a function of $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$. This indicates that $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ is controlling behavior in this regime.

• Received 1 June 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.195701