We have imaged the rearrangement of the magnetic domains on magnetite (001) when crossing the spin reorientation transition and the Verwey transition with nanometer resolution. By means of spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy we have monitored the change in the easy axes lowering the temperature through both transitions in remanence. The spin reorientation transition occurs in two steps: initial nucleation and growth of domains with a new surface magnetic orientation is followed by a smooth evolution.

• Received 15 January 2016
• Revised 18 March 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.134419