The boson peak in silicate glasses: insight from molecular dynamics

In the low-frequency regime, ≈1 THz, glasses show an anomalous excess in their vibrational density of states called the boson peak (BP). The origin of BP has been a subject of debate since its first discovery a few decades ago. Although BP has been the focus of numerous studies, no conclusive answers have been found about its origins, which remained elusive to date. Here, we present results based on molecular dynamics of several binary and ternary silicate glasses with different network intermediates and modifier oxides. The vibrational density of states and the BP are reported for all the studied glasses. Their correlation with the elastic constant C₄₄, structural, and dynamical properties are extensively discussed in terms of Voronoi atomic volume and the vibrational mean square displacement of Q₄ species specifically. We also question the classical classification of alkali oxides as modifiers, and we suggest that Li₂O plays the role of pseudo-intermediate oxide in lithium silicate glasses. This claim is supported by the effect of Li on various vibrational modes, and this effect differs from the other alkali metals. Furthermore, we demonstrate a correlation between the BP intensities and both the Voronoi volume of the Q₄ and Q₃ units and vibrational mean square displacements.