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.