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G. Parkinson, N. Mulakaluri, Y. Losovyj, P. Jacobson, R. Pentcheva, U. Diebold:
"Semiconductor-half metal transition at the Fe₃O₄(001) surface upon hydrogen adsorption";
Physical Review B, 82 (2010), 1254131 - 1254135.

The adsorption of H on the magnetite 􏰁001􏰂 surface was studied with photoemission spectroscopies, scanning tunneling microscopy, and density-functional theory. At saturation coverage the insulating 􏰁􏰃2􏰇􏰃2􏰂R45° reconstruction is lifted and the surface undergoes a semiconductor-half metal transition. This transition involves subtle changes in the local geometric structure linked to an enrichment of Fe2+ cations at the surface. The ability to manipulate the electronic properties by surface engineering has important implications for magnetite-based spintronic devices.