Amongst the ferromagnetic materials that are predicted to be half-metallic, magnetite (Fe₃O₄) is one of the most interesting because of its extremely high Curie temperature of ~ 860 K. Both properties make Fe₃O₄ a very attractive material for application in spintronic devices operating at room temperature.

Fe₃O₄ thin films were grown on Si(100) to ensure compatibility with Si technology. The pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique was used and the substrate temperature was maintained at a relatively low value of 210 ºC. The background gas consisted on a mixture of oxygen and argon.

The as-grown layers were studied vis-a-vis of their phase purity, stoichiometry, magnetic, electrical and magnetotransport properties. The latter show an anomalous behavior in the temperature range 200 – 240 K where a resistivity drop and a signal reversal of the magnetoresistance are observed. These results will be discussed in terms of an inversion layer formed at the interface between SiO₂ and Si in the thinner films. Moreover, Seebeck coefficient data recorded on these films also show abnormal high values.

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