Hall effect describes the behavior of free charge carriers in

the semiconductor when subjected to the electric and

magnetic fields. The phenomenon was discovered by Edwin
Hall in 1879 and can be considered as an extension of
Lorentz force, which describes the force exerted on a
charged particle moving through a magnetic field.It is well
known that a potential applied across the semiconductor material
causes the electrons within it to move in the direction opposite to
that of the applied field (Figure 1a). Further, it is to be noted that, in
this case, the path of the electrons will be almost a straight line.
Now if the same material is subjected to the transverse magnetic
field, the electrons start moving along the curved path as shown by
Figure 1b due to the force exerted by the applied magnetic field on
them. This leads to the increase in the number of electrons on one
side of the semiconductor while the corresponding opposite side
experiences electron deficiency.
As a result, there is a voltage developed across these two sides of
the semiconductor material as show by pink lines in the Figure 1b.
The voltage so developed is called Hall Voltage (VH) and the
associated phenomenon is referred to as Hall Effect.

Moreover, the direction of the Hall voltage so developed will be

perpendicular to both the direction of current flow as well as to the

applied magnetic field. Thus, the Hall effect can be stated as the
phenomenon where the current carrying conductor or
semiconductor subjected to the external magnetic field develops a
voltage across its terminals in the direction perpendicular to both
the flow of current as well as to the direction of applied magnetic
field. Mathematical expression for the Hall voltage is given by
Where, I represents current flowing through the sample B
represents the strength of the magnetic field q represents the
charge n is the number of mobile charge carriers per unit volume d
represents the thickness of the sample Here the term 1/(qn) is
called the Hall Coefficient (RH) and is negative if the majority charge
carriers are electrons while positive if the majority charge carriers
are holes. Hall effect is a very useful phenomenon and helps to
Determine the Type of Semiconductor By knowing the direction
of the Hall Voltage, one can determine that the given sample is
whether n-type semiconductor or p-type semiconductor. This is
because Hall coefficient is negative for n-type semiconductor while
the same is positive in the case of p-type semiconductor.
Calculate the Carrier Concentration The expressions for the
carrier concentrations of electrons (n) and holes (p) in terms of Hall
coefficient are given by
Determine the
Mobility (Hall Mobility) Mobility expression for the electrons (n)
and the holes (p), expressed in terms of Hall coefficient is given by,
where n and p represent the
conductivity due to the electrons and the holes, respectively.
Measure Magnetic Flux Density This equation can be readily
deduced from the equation of Hall voltage and is given by
Further, there are many commercially available equipments based
on the principle of Hall effect including Hall-effect sensors and Halleffect probes