A determination of the structure of liquid Ag2Te using neutron diffraction and isotopic substitution and its comparison to Ag2Se

The partial structure factors and pair distribution functions for liquid Ag2Te have been measured using the method of neutron diffraction and isotopic substitution. The partial structure factors are consistent with a melt in which the predominant interactions are ionic in nature and in which the small Ag+ ions are highly disordered and move rapidly through a more ordered Te-2-sub-structure. A detailed comparison has been made between the structure of this liquid and that of liquid Ag2Se. It is observed that the main structural features of the two liquids are similar but a significant difference is observed in S-AgAg(Q). The differences in the electronic properties of the two liquids are discussed in light of these results.