Electromagnetic waves in the gigahertz (GHz) range, such as those used in mobile communications, can readily pass through many types of glass. However, transmission decreases significantly at terahertz frequencies above a characteristic threshold.

Although this phenomenon has been observed experimentally for some time, a quantitative model connecting it to the microscopic structure and dynamics of glass has been lacking.

To address this problem, the research team developed a continuum model that incorporates elastic heterogeneity in glass alongside microscopic charge fluctuations at atomic and molecular scales. The model describes how terahertz electromagnetic waves interact with vibrational dynamics in glass.