Local structure of room-temperature superionic Ag-GeSe₃ glasses

Anomalous X-ray scattering experiments on amorphous Ag_0.5(GeSe₃)_0.5 at the K absorption edges of each constituent element have been performed to investigate the local- and intermediate-range structure in this material. This method can provide insight into the structural properties enabling the effect of superionic conductivity in the amorphous phase. The experimental results were analyzed with reverse Monte Carlo modeling, providing the partial structure factors and the corresponding partial pair-distribution functions. A nanometer range phase separation tendency of the Ag atoms over a background of a GeSe₄ tetrahedral network is observed, which may confirm the view of Ag conduction pathways forming in this phase.