Semiconductor-half metal transition at the Fe3O4(001) surface upon hydrogen adsorption

Parkinson, Gareth S.; Mulakaluri, Narasimham; Losovyj, Yaroslav; Jacobson, Peter; Pentcheva, Rossitza and Diebold, Ulrike (2010): Semiconductor-half metal transition at the Fe3O4(001) surface upon hydrogen adsorption. In: Physical Review B, Vol. 82, No. 12

Abstract

The adsorption of H on the magnetite (001) surface was studied withphotoemission spectroscopies, scanning tunneling microscopy, anddensity-functional theory. At saturation coverage the insulating (root 2x root 2)R45 degrees reconstruction is lifted and the surface undergoesa semiconductor-half metal transition. This transition involves subtlechanges in the local geometric structure linked to an enrichment of Fe2+cations at the surface. The ability to manipulate the electronicproperties by surface engineering has important implications formagnetite-based spintronic devices.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Geosciences > Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences > Crystallography and Materials Science
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics; 500 Science > 540 Chemistry; 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences and geology
• Language: English