Magnetite at low temperature: Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Fe K-edge

At room temperature, magnetite (cubic inverse spinel structure, Fd-3m s.g.) shows metal-like electrical conductivity, which discontinuously drops by two orders of magnitude below ca. 120 K (Tv). This is due to a first-order phase transition, where the cubic structure is distorted to monoclinic symme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of physics. Conference series Vol. 190; no. 1; p. 012090
Main Authors Wilke, M, Caliebe, W A, Machek, P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2009
Subjects
Electrical resistivity
Electron states
Inelastic scattering
Insulators
Low temperature
Magnetite
Metal-insulator transition
Phase transitions
Physics
Room temperature
X-ray scattering
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Summary:At room temperature, magnetite (cubic inverse spinel structure, Fd-3m s.g.) shows metal-like electrical conductivity, which discontinuously drops by two orders of magnitude below ca. 120 K (Tv). This is due to a first-order phase transition, where the cubic structure is distorted to monoclinic symmetry (Cc s.g.). Models for this metal-insulator transition are still highly debated. We performed 1s3p as well 1s2p RIXS measurements well below and above Tv on a sample of synthetic magnetite powder to probe any difference present in the electronic states. Neither 1s3p nor 1s2p RIXS spectra reveal any differences between the two phases. Our observations are consistent with earlier EXAFS data and indicate no changes in the local structural geometry around Fe.
ISSN:1742-6596
1742-6588
1742-6596
DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/190/1/012090