Electric control of spin helicity in a magnetic ferroelectric.

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 such magnetic ferroelectric, TbMnO3. A spin-polarized neutron scattering experiment clearly shows that the spin helicity, clockwise or counterclockwise, is controlled by the direction of spontaneous polarization and hence by the polarity of the small electric field applied on cooling.