Electric Control of Spin Chirality in Multiferroic Ni3V2O8

We discuss electric control of spin chirality in the magnetically frustrated multiferroic Ni$_3$V$_2$O$_8$ through polarized magnetic neutron diffraction. Cooling to the cycloidal magneto-electric phase in an electric field $\mathbf{E}$ causes the incommensurate Bragg reflections to become neutron spin polarizing, the sense of neutron polarization reversing with $\mathbf{E}$. Comprehensive polarized neutron diffraction measurements establish the chiral nature of the long range ordered spin configuration and its response to $\mathbf{E}$. Concomitant evolution of chiral and ferroelectric domains is observed by comparing polarized neutron diffraction data to pyroelectric current measurements and hysteresis under different poling conditions [1]. \newline \newline [1] I. Cabrera, M. Kenzelmann, G. Lawes, Y. Chen, W. C. Chen, R. Erwin, T. R. Gentile, J. Leao, J. W. Lynn, N. Rogado, R. J. Cava, and C. Broholm, (unpublished), 2008.