A theoretical mechanism for such a transition in the near-surface region of mixed conductors was proposed. The laser field did not expose ions immediately, but via an intermediate interaction with conduction electrons, and introduced many non-equilibrium defects into the Ag sub-lattice. These processes caused a decrease in the activation energy of stable Frenkel defects and thus a decrease in the super-ionic transition temperature.

A.Rakitin, M.Kobayashi, V.N.Strekalov: Physical Review B, 1994, 50[18], 13143-8