EXAFS/XANES studies of the local structure of amorphous ionic and electronic-ionic conductors

X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods such as EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) and XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) are sophisticated and effective tools for studying the local structure of many solids and liquids. Their use is particularly valuable in the case of amorphous systems, in which due to the absence of long-range order the possibilities of structure determination by diffraction methods are limited. EXAFS and XANES have been extensively used to study the local structure of many electrically conducting (via ions, electrons, or both electrons and ions) solids. The special merit of the latter studies is that their results reveal the short-range structure of these conductors, which is an important factor determining their transport properties. The paper reports recent results of EXAFS/XANES studies on the local structure of selected electrically conducting glasses of the Li2O –V2O5–P2O5 system and their silver analogues. All spectra were acquired at the K-edge of vanadium.