Low energy ion scattering from Fe3O4 thin film surfaces

Low energy ion scattering with a small-angle geometry has been used to investigate the (10 0) and (1 1 1) magnetite thin film surfaces. In most cases the energy spectra of the scattered ions revealed very broad peaks. A splitting of the scattering peak around 120 K was observed under 6.5 keV He+ ion bombardment onto the (10 0) surface. The temperature dependence of scattering ion yield, R+(T), has revealed anomalies in the temperature range of 100-125 K related to the metal-insulator phase transition of magnetite. A strong influence from the geometrical structure of the surface semi-channels on the realization of the ionizing trajectories and thus on the scattered ion yield was observed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.