Neutron diffraction and scattering study on M/sub x/WO/sub 3/ (M=Rb and K)

To study the relationship between the lattice instability and the superconductivity of nonstoichiometric hexagonal tungsten bronze, M/sub x/WO/sub 3/, neutron diffraction and scattering studies were made. Two types of the structural phase transitions were observed. One is associated with the distortion of the corner linked WO/sub 6/ octahedra. The other is associated with the ordering of the M atoms which partially fill the sites in the WO/sub 3/ cage. A long period modulation of the structure appears for some values of x at low temperature. The discussion on the x dependence of the superconducting transition temperature is presented