  We present a corroborative study of structural characterization of lithium
substituted barium vanadate glasses using Raman and Electron Paramagnetic
Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Investigation of these glasses' thermal and
physical properties showed a gradual increase in the concentration of
non-bridging oxygen. Raman and EPR analysis gave an insight into the changing
structure of the glasses. The concentration of V4+ showed a non-monotonic
variation with an increase in Li2O as indicated by Raman studies and confirmed
by EPR. From the analysis of both spectroscopic techniques, it is proposed that
the lithium-ion prefers to occupy planar positions of the VO6 octahedra thus
reducing the tetragonal distortion and making the environment around the
network forming unit in the glass matrix more homogenous as we increase Lithium
content.
