Verwey transition in single magnetite nanoparticles

Abstract

We present a tunnel spectroscopy study of the electronic spectrum of single magnetite \chemform{Fe_3O_4} nanoparticles trapped between nanometer-spaced electrodes. The Verwey transition is clearly identified in the current voltage-characteristics where we find that the transition temperature is electric field dependent. The data show the presence of localized states at high energy, $\varepsilon \sim 0.6eV$, which can be attributed to polaron states. At low energy, the density of states (DOS) is suppressed at the approach of the Verwey transition. Below the Verwey transition, a gap, $\Delta \sim 300meV$, is observed in the spectrum. In contrast, no gap is observed in the high temperature phase, implying that electronic transport in this phase is possibly due to polaron hopping with activated mobility.