We present an x-ray pair distribution function (XPDF) analysis and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data for ZrW2O8 (10-500 K) with a focus on the stiffness of the Zr-O-W linkage. The XPDF is highly sensitive to W-Zr and W-W correlations, but much less so to O-O or W-O correlations. The Zr-W peak in the XPDF data has a weak temperature dependence and, hence, this linkage is relatively stiff and does not permit bending of the Zr-O-W link. We propose that the low energy vibrational modes that lead to negative thermal expansion involve correlated rotations of ZrO6 octahedra that produce large <111> translations of the WO4 tetrahedra, rather than a transverse motion of O atoms that imply a flexible Zr-O-W linkage.

The magnetic order in CaK(Fe1−xNix)4As4 (1144) single crystals (x = 0.051 and 0.033) has been studied by neutron diffraction. We observe magnetic Bragg peaks associated to the same propagation vectors as found for the collinear stripe antiferromagnetic (AFM) order in the related BaFe2As2 (122) compound. The AFM state in 1144 preserves tetragonal symmetry and only a commensurate, non-collinear structure with a hedgehog spin-vortex crystal (SVC) arrangement in the Fe plane and simple AFM stacking along the c direction is consistent with our observations. The SVC order is promoted by the reduced symmetry in the FeAs layer in the 1144 structure. The long-range SVC order coexists with superconductivity, however, similar to the doped 122 compounds, the ordered magnetic moment is gradually suppressed with the developing superconducting order parameter. This supports the notion that both collinear and non-collinear magnetism and superconductivity are competing for the same electrons coupled by Fermi surface nesting in iron arsenide superconductors.PACS numbers:

The interplay between superconductivity and charge-density wave (CDW) in 2H-NbSe2 is not fully understood despite decades of study. Artificially introduced disorder can tip the delicate balance between two competing long-range orders, and reveal the underlying interactions that give rise to them. Here we introduce disorder by electron irradiation and measure in-plane resistivity, Hall resistivity, X-ray scattering, and London penetration depth. With increasing disorder, the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, varies non-monotonically, whereas the CDW transition temperature, TCDW, monotonically decreases and becomes unresolvable above a critical irradiation dose where Tc drops sharply. Our results imply that the CDW order initially competes with superconductivity, but eventually assists it. We argue that at the transition where the long-range CDW order disappears, the cooperation with superconductivity is dramatically suppressed. X-ray scattering and Hall resistivity measurements reveal that the short-range CDW survives above the transition. Superconductivity persists to much higher dose levels, consistent with fully gapped superconductivity and moderate interband pairing.