# Electronic conduction mechanisms in GeSe$_3$:Ag and Al$_2$O$_3$:Cu

## TL;DR

This paper investigates the atomistic structures and conduction mechanisms of Cu-doped alumina and Ag-doped GeSe3, revealing how element distribution and clustering influence electrical conduction in these materials.

## Contribution

It provides new insights into the atomistic distribution and conduction pathways in Cu:Al2O3 and Ag:GeSe3, using novel computational techniques to analyze conduction-active network parts.

## Key findings

- Cu forms connected channels at high concentration, enabling conduction.
- Ag remains poorly conducting even in nanowire geometries.
- Cu addition extends conduction states throughout alumina's optical gap.

## Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the atomistic structure of two conducting bridge computer memory materials, including Cu-doped alumina and silver-doped GeSe$_3$. We show that the Ag is rather uniformly distributed through the chalcogenide glass, whereas the Cu strongly clusters in the alumina material. The copper-oxide system conducts via extended state conduction through Cu atoms once the concentration becomes high enough to form connected Cu channels. What is more, the addition of Cu leads to extended states throughout the large alumina (host) optical gap. By contrast, Ag in the selenide host is not strongly conducting even if one imposes a very narrow nanowire geometry. All of these results are discussed using novel techniques for computing the conduction active parts of the network.