XPS study of surface properties in the superionic conducting glass of (AgI)_0.4(Ag₂O)_0.3 (MoO₃)_0.3 bombarded by ion and electron beams

XPS has been used for characterizing the effects of Ar ion and electron beam bombardment on the surface properties of superionic conducting glass of (Agl)_0.4(Ag₂O)_0.3 (MoO₃)_0.3. Cations in this particular glass were significantly reduced by Ar ion bombardment. This is attributed to the imbalance between cations and anions induced by preferential sputtering of anions. The O ls peak is shifted to higher binding energy by Ar ion bombardment. This is mainly attributed to the sputtering of silver in preference to molybdenum. The electron beam bombardment increases the surface concentration of silver and induces a change in the chemical state of silver from Ag⁺ to Ag⁰. The isothermal enrichment process of silver at surface can be described by the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation; W = 1 - exp[-(3.74 × 10^-4t)^1.1].