Glasses with a composition xLi(2)O .(1-x)B2O3 were investigated by low-freq
uency Raman scattering in the composition range x=0-0.28. The evolution of
the quasielastic line, the boson peak, the Debye frequency, and some other
glass parameters with the composition was analyzed. The frequency of the bo
son peak omega(b) shifts with changing x by a factor of 3 and the width of
the quasielastic spectrum at room temperature is always equal to similar to
0.24 omega(b). The Gruneisen parameter of the glasses is estimated on the
basis of the light scattering data for the boson peak frequency within the
frames of the anharmonic model of the fast relaxation and using the sound v
elocity data-for the Debye frequency. The anharmonic properties are compare
d with the fragility of these glassformers; it is shown that the fragility
increases with anharmonicity. It is shown also that the width of the glass
transition region correlates with the anharmonic properties. (C) 2000 Ameri
can Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00)70939-1].