Hall Effect

When a piece of conductor (metal or semi

conductor) carrying a current is placed in a transverse
magnetic field, an electric field is produced inside the
conductor in a direction normal to both the current and
the magnetic field.
This phenomenon is known as the Hall Effect and
the generated voltage is called the Hall voltage.

Y
B

O
E

X
E

Consider a conventional
current flow through the
B
Z along OX and a magnetic field of induction B is
strip
applied along axis OY.
Case I: If the Material is N-Type Semi
Conductor (or) Metal
If the strip is made up of metal or N-type
semiconductor, the charge carriers in the strip will be
electrons.
As conventional current flows along OX, the
electrons must be moving along XO. If the drift velocity
of the electrons is `vd and charge of the electrons is
`e, the Lorenz force on the electrons due to the

This causes the electrons to be deflected and the

electrons accumulate at the face ABEF.
Face ABEF will become negative and the face OCDG
becomes positive.
A potential difference is established across faces ABEF
and OCDG, causing a field EH.

Hall effect for n type

semiconductor

electrons in the opposite direction. (i.e, in the negative Z

direction)
At equilibrium
F L = FH
eEH = Be vd

(or)

EH =

Bvd
If J is the current density, then, J = ne vd
where `n is the concentration
J of current carriers
vd =
ne
(electrons).
BJ
Substitute the value of `vd
EH = ne
in eqn
The Hall Effect is described by means of the Hall
coefficient `RH in terms of current density `J by the
relation,
EH = RHBJ
or
RH =EH / BJ
-1/ne
All the where
three quantities ERH,H J=
and
B are measurable, the Hall coefficient RH
and hence the carrier density `n can be found out.

Case (ii) If the material is a P-type semi

conductor
If the strip is a P-type semiconductor, the charge
carriers in the strip will be holes.
The holes will constitute current in the direction of
conventional current.
Holes move along the direction of the conventional
Y
current itself along ox
B
If `e is the charge of the hole,
B
v
the force experienced by the
F
holes due to magnetic field is,
G
D
FL = Be vd , which acts along
OZ.
O
F
X
C
This causes the holes to
E
I
accumulate on the face ABEF A
B
making it positive, and
leaving the face OCDG as
Z
negative.
Hall effect for p type
semiconductor
P-type semiconductor,

Determination of Hall coefficient

The Hall coefficient is determined by measuring
the Hall voltage that generates the Hall field.
If `w is the width of the sample across which the Hall
voltage is measured, then
EH = VH/ w
We know that,

RH = EH/ BJ

Substituting the value of EH in the above eqn

wBJ (or)
I
I

A wt

VH = R
RHHwwBJ
.B.I
RH I B
=
If the thickness
of
`t,
wt
t the sample is
VH
t
(or) RH =
sectional area
IB
A = wt, and the current density,

RH = VH/

VH will be opposite
in sign for P and N
the
its cross
type
semiconductors.

Equation for conductivity and resistivity:

= e ne e = e / RH
or e = RH

Direction of resultant electric field

H=tan-1 EH / Ex = tan-1 (B Vd / (J/ ) )

= tan-1 (B Vd / J) as
1/ne = RH
H can be written as
H=tan-1 (RH B)

Vd/ J=

Applications of Hall effect

(1) Determination of N-type of semiconductor
For a N-type semiconductor, the Hall coefficient
is negative whereas for a P-type semiconductor, it is
positive. Thus from the direction of the Hall voltage
developed, one can find out the type of
semiconductor.
(2) Calculation of carrier concentration
n or p
Once Hall coefficient RH is measured, the carrier
concentration can be obtained.
as
RH = EH/ BJ
EH , B
& J are measurable

1
n
eR H

(or )

1
p
eR H

(3)Determination of mobility
We know that, conductivity, n = n e n (or)
Also, P = p e
(or)

p
pe

p . RH

Thus by measuring ` and RH, can be

calculated.
(4) Measurement of magnetic flux density.
Using a semiconductor sample of known `RH,
the magnetic flux density can be deduced from,

VH t
B
RH I

EXPERIMENT TO CALULATE HALL COEFFICIENT

A rectangular slab of the given material having
thickness `t and width `w is taken.
A current of `I amperes is passed through this
sample by connecting it to a battery, `Ba.
The sample is placed between two pole pieces of
an electromagnet such that the field `B is perpendicular
to I

The hall voltage `VH is then measured by

placing
two probes at the two side faces of the slab. If
the magnetic flux density is `B and `VH is the hall
voltage, then the Hall coefficient,
RH = VHt / IB (m3/coulomb)
RH = VHt / IB (m3/coulomb)
For p-type
p
h
p . RH

pe
material,
p
e

(or)
e np =
.
R
n H
h
ne