Low activation energies in superionic glasses in the 4.2 - 77 K temperature region

The peaks in the ultrasonic attenuation observed in AgI-doped superionic glasses at temperatures higher than 77 K have always been explained in terms of classical, thermally activated, relaxation processes due to silver ions which are mobile in the glassy matrix. Here we complete an ultrasonic study with the loss characteristics and sound velocity in “binary” (Ag2O·nB2O3) and “ternary” [(AgI)x(Ag2O·nB2O3) 1 − x] glasses in the 4.2–77 K temperature region. In such a way we obtain useful information about defects having low activation energy.