Mean-field stability map of hard-sphere glasses

The response of amorphous solids to an applied shear deformation is an important problem, both in fundamental and in applied research. To tackle this problem, we focus on a system of hard spheres in infinite dimensions as a solvable model for colloidal systems and granular matter. The system is prepared above the dynamical glass transition density, and we discuss the phase diagram of the resulting glass under compression, decompression, and shear strain, expanding on previous results [Urbani and Zamponi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 038001 (2017)]. We show that the solid region is bounded by a "shear jamming" line, at which the solid reaches close packing, and a "shear yielding" line, at which the solid undergoes a spinodal instability towards a liquid flowing phase. Furthermore, we characterize the evolution of these lines upon varying the glass preparation density. This paper aims to provide a general overview on yielding and jamming phenomena in hard-sphere systems by a systematic exploration of the phase diagram.