Vanishing Fe 3d orbital moments in single-crystalline magnetite

TL;DR

This study uses advanced spectroscopy on high-quality magnetite crystals to show that orbital magnetic moments are nearly zero, supporting the theory that magnetite is a half-metal with full spin polarization.

Contribution

It provides new experimental evidence showing vanishing orbital moments in magnetite, contrasting recent data and reinforcing the half-metallic, fully spin-polarized model.

Findings

Orbital moments are nearly vanishing in magnetite.

Spin moments are close to theoretical integer values.

Supports the half-metallic, full spin polarized model of magnetite.

Abstract

We show detailed magnetic absorption spectroscopy results of an in situ cleaved high quality single crystal of magnetite. In addition the experimental setup was carefully optimized to reduce drift, self absorption, and offset phenomena as far as possible. In strong contradiction to recently published data, our observed orbital moments are nearly vanishing and the spin moments are quite close to the integer values proposed by theory. This very important issue supports the half metallic full spin polarized picture of magnetite.