Initial stages of Ag+ ion agglomeration within the Ge2Se3 amorphous matrix: (a) unperturbed short-range order of the amorphous matrix; (b) formation of a microcavity when an Au atom substitutes a Ge atom in one of the Ge–Ge dimers; (c) accumulation of Ag+ ions around the microcavity. Arrows indicate the directions of movement of Ag+ ions near the microcavity from neighboring (parallel) regions of the amorphous matrix. The figure was generated by the authors using data sourced from [10]