Low-temperature thermal properties of molecular glasses

We have built up an experimental cell in order to measure low-temperature specific heat C-p(T) of molecular glasses and crystals, which are liquid at ambient temperature. We have carried out measurements on ethanol, an organic low-molecular-weight, substance, which exhibits at low temperatures three three different solid states: a stable crystalline phase, an orientationally disordered (glassy) crystal, and the true canonical glass. C-p(T) measurements of the three phases for both normal and deuterated ethanol from around 2 K up to 30 K are presented. All glasses and disordered crystals show the ''anomalous'' thermal properties of common glasses.