Electric Control of Spin Helicity in a Magnetic Ferroelectric
arXiv:cond-mat/0701430 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.219902
Abstract
Magnetic ferroelectrics or multiferroics, which are currently extensively explored, may provide a good arena to realize a novel magnetoelectric function. Here we demonstrate the genuine electric control of the spiral magnetic structure in one of such magnetic ferroelectrics, TbMnO3. A spin-polarized neutron scattering experiment clearly shows that the spin helicity, clockwise or counter-clockwise, is controlled by the direction of spontaneous polarization and hence by the polarity of the small cooling electric field.
4 pages, 3 figures