Few-nanometers-thick Fe
3O
4(111) films were epitaxially grown on Pt(111) and Ru(0001)
single crystal supports by sequential iron deposition and oxidation in an ultra-high vacuum chamber. The growth of well-ordered
magnetite films was confirmed by
low energy electron diffraction. The films were covered with a protective Au layer and subjected to magnetic and structural studies in ambient conditions. Magnetic hysteresis loops, recorded using magneto-optical Kerr effect apparatus, confirmed magnetic ordering in both films at room temperature. The Kerr measurements indicated in-plane orientation of magnetization, which was supported by the lack of magnetic contrast in magnetic force microscopy images. Atomic force microscopy revealed significant differences in morphology of the films, tentatively attributed to different
lattice mismatch with Pt(111) and Ru(0001) single crystal supports.