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This paper leverages electric-field-responsive machine-learning molecular dynamics to discover a nonequilibrium pathway to superionic conductivity in quasi-two-dimensional AgCrSe2 using out-of-plane oscillating electric fields. At 300 K, significantly below its equilibrium transition temperature, Ag+ ions exhibit fast in-plane transport (1.7 S/cm) driven by field-induced dynamic disorder across two sublattices, distinct from thermal disordering. The observed frequency-dependent regimes of Ag occupation reveal a competition between driving period and sublattice response, suggesting timescale-matched periodic driving as a general strategy for achieving transport-active ionic disorder at low temperatures.
Oscillating electric fields can induce superionic conductivity in solids at room temperature, bypassing equilibrium transition temperatures by dynamically disordering ion sublattices.
Superionic conductors enable exceptionally fast ion transport in solids and offer broad technological potential. However, their highly conductive states are typically accessed only above the order-disorder transition of the mobile-ion sublattice, which limits low-temperature operation. Here, electric-field-responsive machine-learning molecular dynamics reveals a nonequilibrium route to superionic transport in quasi-two-dimensional AgCrSe2 driven by an out-of-plane oscillating electric field. At 300 K, far below the transition temperature near 475 K, the field activates fast in-plane Ag+ transport with an ionic conductivity reaching ~1.7 S/cm. This originates from field-driven dynamic disorder of Ag+ across two equivalent sublattices rather than thermally induced disordering. With increasing frequency, the Ag occupation evolves from complete switching to a highly conductive dynamically disordered state and finally to an ordered state with weak field response. These regimes shift to higher frequencies with increasing temperature or field amplitude, consistent with competition between the driving period and Ag-sublattice response time. At strong fields, this timescale is consistent with field-assisted thermal activation, while weak-field deviations suggest additional dynamics beyond single-ion activation. These results suggest timescale-matched periodic driving as a route to transport-active ionic disorder far below an equilibrium superionic transition.