This thesis describes the neutron scattering measurements of magnetic excitations in spin-chains and ladders. The first part discusses an experimental investigation of the copper oxide family Sr₁₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ composed of edge-sharing chains and spin-ladders. The study of La₄Sr₁₀Cu₂₄O₄₁ comprises a slightly hole-doped chain and an undoped ladder structure where the chain can be modeled by a ferromagnetic nearest and an antiferromagnetic next-nearest neighbor coupling. The hole effects are apparent in gaps in the dispersion relation and can be described by a charge-density wave agreeing with the commensuration of the dispersion. Investigating the undoped ladder establishes the exchange constants including a cyclic exchange manifested by the two-magnon continuum and the suppression of the S = 1 bound mode. An orbital consideration provides an explanation for the exchanges including the different sizes of rung and leg coupling. The excitation spectrum of the doped ladder in Ca₂.₅Sr₁₁.₅Cu₂₄O₄₁ can be described by a direct comparison with the undoped ladder and the differences consisting of a higher energy mode and subgap scattering can be successfully modeled by the charge spectrum of the ladder calculated from the free electron model. The second part of the thesis investigates the alternating chain material Cu(NO₃)₂ · 2.5D2O and establishes the gapped one-magnon dispersion, the two-magnon continuum and for the first time the S =1 bound mode. Applying magnetic field drives the system through two critical field transitions, condensation of magnons into the ground state and saturation. The modes beyond saturation can be modeled by spin wave theory and the excitations at the first critical field follow Luttinger Liquid behavior. Additionally investigated are the temperature effects with the excitations being of a different nature but containing the signature of a strong correlated system. For an outlook the measurements including temperature and field are provided with further theoretical descriptions necessary.

Les oxydes non-stoechiométriques de type Ruddlesden-Popper, tel que Pr2NiO4+δ, peuvent être dopés en trous par substitution du strontium au praséodyme ou par insertion d’oxygène. Ces modes de dopage s’accompagnent de mises en ordre complexes impliquant la distribution des ions oxygène excédentaires, des ordres de charge et/ou de spin. Le diagramme de phase de Pr2-xSrxNiO4+δ a été exploré par diffraction des rayons X (en laboratoire et par rayonnement synchrotron) ainsi que neutronique. Pour la phase Pr2NiO4.25, nous avons mis en évidence une sur-structure incommensurable avec des réflexions satellites au 6ème ordre, produisant un spectre de diffraction très complexe avec 4 individus et 8 domaines incommensurables. Par diffractions synchrotron et neutronique, un ordre de charge de type échiquier a été identifié dès la température ambiante, suivi en dessous de 170 K par un ordre de type rubans ; un ordre de spin incommensurable s’établit au-dessous de 99 K. Ce travail a permis de révéler un ensemble complexe de phases ordonnées structuralement et électroniquement, gouvernées par des variations subtiles de stoechiométrie en strontium et oxygène. / Non-stoichiometric oxides from the Ruddlesden-Popper series, such as Pr2NiO4+δ, can be hole-doped by substituting strontium to praseodymium or by oxygen insertion. This leads to complex structural ordering involving oxygen-, charge- and spin ordering. The complex phase diagram of Pr2-xSrxNiO4+δ was explored using X-ray (laboratory and synchrotron) as well as neutron diffractions. For the doped phase of highest oxygen content (Pr2NiO4.25), we could evidence an incommensurate structure with satellite reflections of 6th order, yielding a very complex diffraction pattern of up to four twin-individuals and eight incommensurate domains. Checkerboard-type charge ordering was identified already at ambient temperature, while stripe charge ordering was observed below 170 K by synchrotron and neutron diffraction; incommensurate spin ordering appears below 99 K. This thesis reveals the existence of many complex oxygen and electronically ordered phases going along with small variations of the oxygen/strontium stoichiometry.