Electric-field control of the chiral magnetism of multiferroic MnWO₄ as seen via polarized neutron diffraction

The chiral components in the magnetic order in multiferroic MnWO₄ have been studied by neutron diffraction using spherical polarization analysis as a function of temperature and of external electric field. We show that sufficiently close to the ferroelectric transition at T=12.3 K it is possible to switch the chiral component by applying moderate electric fields at constant temperature. Full hysteresis cycles can be observed which indicate strong pinning of the magnetic order. MnWO₄, furthermore, exhibits a magnetoelectric memory effect across heating into the paramagnetic and paraelectric phase.