Local structure of room-temperature superionic Ag–GeSe3 glasses

• Anomalous X-ray scattering experiment on superionic conducting glass Ag0.5(GeSe3)0.5
• A phase separation tendency of Ag atoms may be interpreted as Ag conduction pathways.
• The results indicate that the “8-N”-rule is not applicable to this glass.

Anomalous X-ray scattering experiments on amorphous Ag0.5(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.