Abstract
We report direct experimental evidence showing that the spin polarization at the surface of clean FeO(111) is positive at the Fermi level as measured using a spin-polarized metastable helium beam [He(2)] and a bulk FeO(111) single crystal under high magnetic fields of up to 4 T. Density functional theory calculations confirm this surprising result, which has significant implications for the incorporation of magnetite in spintronic device applications. We also find that passivation of the surface with hydrogen does not enhance , unlike for the FeO(001) surface, where a marked increase is observed.
- Received 2 February 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.180409
©2012 American Physical Society