It was recalled that the magnetic properties of epitaxial thin films of magnetite deviated strongly from the bulk behavior, and the possible relationship between this anomalous behavior and the occurrence of antiphase boundaries was considered. Transmission electron microscopic images confirmed that antiphase boundaries were present in films which were grown onto (100)MgO by means of molecular beam epitaxy. Only those antiphase boundaries with out-of-plane shift vectors were visible. A much higher antiphase boundary density which was found in sputtered films suggested that the preparation conditions were important. In order to explain both deviations in saturation, and a super-paramagnetic behavior of thin films, it was concluded that the magnetic coupling over the antiphase boundary must be markedly reduced due to spin disorder along the boundaries.

Antiphase Domains and Magnetism in Epitaxial Magnetite Layers. T.Hibma, F.C.Voogt, L.Niesen, P.A.A.Van der Heijden, W.J.M.De Jonge, J.J.T.M.Donkers, P.J.Van der Zaag: Journal of Applied Physics, 1999, 85[8], 5291-3