Control of multiferroic domains by external electric fields in TbMnO3

The control of multiferroic domains through external electric fields has been studied by dielectric measurements and by polarized neutron diffraction on single-crystalline TbMnO3. Full hysteresis cycles were recorded by varying an external field of the order of several kV mm−1 and by recording the chiral magnetic scattering as well as the charge in a sample capacitor. Both methods yield comparable coercive fields that increase upon cooling.