Using large scale molecular dynamics simulations we investigate the properties of the {\em non-affine} displacement field induced by macroscopic uniaxial deformation of amorphous silica,a strong glass according to Angell's classification. We demonstrate the existence of a length scale ξ characterizing the correlations of this field (corresponding to a volume of about 1000 atoms), and compare its structure to the one observed in a standard fragile model glass. The "Boson-peak'' anomaly of the density of states can be traced back in both cases to elastic inhomogeneities on wavelengths smaller than ξ, where classical continuum elasticity becomes simply unapplicable.
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0605380,
title = {Inhomogeneous elastic response of silica glass},
author = {Fabien Leonforte and Anne Tanguy and Joachim Wittmer and Jean-Louis Barrat},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0605380},
year = {2009}
}