Probing the surface of pyrite
Tuesday, October 1, 2013 - 07:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Pyrite—perhaps better known as "fool's gold" for its yellowish metallic appearance—is a common, naturally occurring mineral. It holds promise as a high-tech material, with potential uses in solar cells, spintronic devices and catalysts, but is also a byproduct of corrosion of steel in deep-sea oil and gas wells. Both its potential usefulness in devices and its role in corrosion are largely influenced by the fundamental electronic properties of its surface—which have remained relatively unexplored.