The phase structure of aperiodic SiO2 as a function of network topology

Abstract We understand the structure of SiO 2 in terms of local properties, the indecomposable rings of its network. A ring is defined by us to be indecomposable if it does not arise by the successive traversal of other smaller rings. The phase structure of glassy SiO 2 can be understood and characterized in terms of these indecomposable rings.