Time-scales of electronic processes in Fe3O4 : An attempt to resolve a recently accentuated controversy

Recently, the so-far still open discussion concerning the appropriate time-scale of electron mobility in magnetite (Fe3O4), especially below the Verwey transition (), has been accentuated again by considerations-based on the observed invariance of modern resonant X-ray scattering spectra on crossing the Verwey transition-in favour of extremely short fluctuation times of about . These estimations, however, differ by about 20 orders of magnitude from the electronic relaxation times-amounting up to thousands of seconds-as determined from high-precision magnetic after-effect and electric conductivity experiments. The present note is concerned with the question as to what extent most recent electronic LSDA+U calculations on Fe3O4 may be helpful in bridging this outrageous discrepancy.