Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010

Magneto-resistance in Semi-Conductors
Harsh Purwar (07MS-76)
Amit Nag (07MS-19)
VI Semester, Integrated M.S.
th

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata

Experiment No.: 5
Condensed Matter Physics Lab (PH – 324)

Objectives of the Experiment:

 To study the variation of the magneto-resistance of a sample with the applied magnetic field.
 To measure the magneto-resistance of the given semiconductor sample.

Introduction/Theory:
Magneto-resistance is the property of a material to change the
value of its electrical resistance when an external magnetic field is
applied to it. The effect was first discovered by William Thomson
(more commonly known as Lord Kelvin) in 1856, but he was unable
to lower the electrical resistance of anything by more than 5%. This
effect was later called ordinary magneto-resistance (OMR).
The phenomenon is due to the fact that the drift velocity of all the
charge carriers is not same. When the magnetic field is turned on
the Hall voltage, 𝑉𝐻 = 𝐸𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑣 × 𝐻 compensates or cancels the
Lorentz force for the carriers with the average velocity, 𝑣. But as
said all the charge carriers do not move with the same velocities and
so the carriers moving with velocities less than 𝑣 are over
compensated and those moving with velocities greater than 𝑣 are Figure 1: Schematic diagram showing
undercompensated, resulting in trajectories that are not along the various fields acting on a p-type
semiconductor crystal attached to the
applied electric field 𝐸𝑥 . This results in an effective decrease of
four probe.
the mean free path and hence an increase in resistivity or resistance
of the sample. Now as the applied magnetic field is increased the trajectories of the charge carriers are
more deviated which increases the magneto-resistance further.
To understand this lets consider a conducting annulus with
perfectly conducting rims as shown in the figure above. Without a
magnetic field, the battery drives a radial current between the rims.
When a magnetic field parallel to the axis of the annulus is applied,
a circular component of current flows as well, due to the Lorentz
force. In a simple model, supposing the response to the Lorentz
force is the same as for an electric field, the carrier velocity 𝑣 is
given by, 𝑣 = 𝜇 𝐸 + 𝑣 × 𝐵 where 𝜇 is the carrier mobility. Solving
for the velocity, we find,
𝜇
𝑣= 𝐸 + 𝜇𝐸 × 𝐵
1 + 𝜇2 𝐵2
where the reduction in mobility due to the magnetic field
𝐵 is apparent.
Figure 2: Corbino Disc.
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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010
Experimental Setup:
The setup consists of the following:
 Four probe arrangement
 Sample (Ge, n-type)
 Magneto-resistance set-up
 Electromagnet
 Constant current power supply
 Digital Gauss-meter

Four Probe Arrangement: It consists of four collinear, equally spaced (2 mm) and individually spring loaded
probes mounted on a PCB strip. The two outer probes supply constant current to the sample and the two
inner probes measure the voltage developed across them. This eliminates the error due to the contact
resistance which is particularly serious in semiconductors. The sample is placed on a platform provided for
the purpose and the four probe is mounted on it.

Current Probes

Voltage Probes

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a four probe.

Sample: Germanium (Ge) crystal, n-type dimensions: 10 × 10 × 0.5 mm.

Procedure:
The following protocol was implemented in order for measuring the magneto-resistance of the given
sample.
 All necessary connections were made and various components were switched on.
 The Four probe with sample and the Hall probe were both placed side by side in the space between
the two iron cores of the electromagnets.
 For a fixed value of probe current (lets’ say 4.04 mA), the voltage developed across the two inner
probes of the four probe was measured and noted along with the magnetic field which was
increased by increasing the current though it.
 Above was done for three different values of the probe current (4.04 mA, 3.12 mA and 2.02 mA).
The recorded data is presented in a tabular fashion in the following section.

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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010
Results/Observations:
The electrical resistance of the sample was found to be 𝑅 = 44.21 Ω. This was calculated using Ohm’s Law
for 𝑉 = 149.0 𝑚𝑉, and 𝐼 = 3.37 𝑚𝐴.

Table 1: For measurement of magneto-resistance of a Germanium n-type crystal for probe current 𝐼 = 4.04 mA.
Current through 𝑉𝑚
Magnetic Field Voltage 𝑉𝑚 𝑅𝑚 = Rm − R
Obs. # the electromagnet 𝐼
(Ampere)
(Gauss) (mV)
Ω 𝑅
1 0.00 80 177.6 43.96 -0.01
2 0.20 260 177.6 43.96 -0.01
3 0.40 440 177.6 43.96 -0.01
4 0.60 630 177.7 43.99 -0.01
5 0.80 820 177.7 43.99 -0.01
6 1.01 1040 177.9 44.03 0.00
7 1.20 1220 178.0 44.06 0.00
8 1.41 1430 178.2 44.11 0.00
9 1.62 1650 178.4 44.16 0.00
10 1.80 1830 178.5 44.18 0.00
11 2.01 2040 178.8 44.26 0.00
12 2.22 2250 179.1 44.33 0.00
13 2.40 2430 179.4 44.41 0.00
14 2.60 2620 179.7 44.48 0.01
15 2.80 2810 180.0 44.55 0.01
16 3.00 3000 180.4 44.65 0.01
17 3.22 3230 180.7 44.73 0.01
18 3.40 3380 181.0 44.80 0.01
19 3.60 3560 181.4 44.90 0.02
20 3.80 3740 181.9 45.02 0.02
21 4.00 3900 182.3 45.12 0.02
22 4.13 4010 182.5 45.17 0.02

Table 2: For measurement of magneto-resistance of a Germanium n-type crystal for probe current 𝐼 = 3.12 mA.
Current through 𝑉𝑚
Magnetic Field Voltage 𝑉𝑚 𝑅𝑚 = Rm − R
Obs. # the electromagnet 𝐼
(Ampere)
(Gauss) (mV)
Ω 𝑅
1 0.00 70 137.6 44.10 0.00
2 0.20 260 137.6 44.10 0.00
3 0.40 440 137.6 44.10 0.00
4 0.60 630 137.6 44.10 0.00
5 0.80 820 137.6 44.10 0.00
6 1.00 1020 137.7 44.13 0.00
7 1.20 1220 137.8 44.17 0.00
8 1.41 1430 137.9 44.20 0.00
9 1.60 1630 138.0 44.23 0.00
10 1.80 1830 138.2 44.29 0.00
11 2.01 2040 138.4 44.36 0.00
12 2.20 2230 138.6 44.42 0.00
13 2.41 2430 138.9 44.52 0.01
14 2.60 2620 139.1 44.58 0.01
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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010
15 2.81 2820 139.4 44.68 0.01
16 3.00 3010 139.6 44.74 0.01
17 3.20 3190 139.9 44.84 0.01
18 3.40 3390 140.2 44.94 0.02
19 3.60 3560 140.5 45.03 0.02
20 3.81 3740 140.8 45.13 0.02
21 4.01 3910 141.1 45.22 0.02
22 4.12 4000 141.3 45.29 0.02

Table 3: For measurement of magneto-resistance of a Germanium n-type crystal for probe current 𝐼 = 2.02 mA.
Current through 𝑉𝑚
Magnetic Field Voltage 𝑉𝑚 𝑅𝑚 = Rm − R
Obs. # the electromagnet 𝐼
(Ampere)
(Gauss) (mV)
Ω 𝑅
1 0.00 70 88.7 43.91 -0.01
2 0.20 260 88.7 43.91 -0.01
3 0.40 430 88.7 43.91 -0.01
4 0.60 630 88.7 43.91 -0.01
5 0.80 830 88.7 43.91 -0.01
6 1.00 1020 88.8 43.96 -0.01
7 1.21 1240 88.8 43.96 -0.01
8 1.40 1430 88.9 44.01 0.00
9 1.60 1620 89.0 44.06 0.00
10 1.80 1820 89.1 44.11 0.00
11 2.00 2030 89.2 44.16 0.00
12 2.21 2240 89.4 44.26 0.00
13 2.40 2420 89.5 44.31 0.00
14 2.60 2620 89.7 44.41 0.00
15 2.81 2820 89.8 44.46 0.01
16 3.01 3010 90.0 44.55 0.01
17 3.20 3190 90.2 44.65 0.01
18 3.40 3380 90.4 44.75 0.01
19 3.61 3570 90.6 44.85 0.01
20 3.80 3730 90.9 45.00 0.02
21 4.00 3910 91.1 45.10 0.02
22 4.11 4000 91.1 45.10 0.02

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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010
Graphs/Plots:
The following plots were drawn from the above data.

Plot 1: Magneto-resistance of the sample versus applied magnetic field.

Plot 2: Log-log plot of relative increase in the resistance of the sample (relative to its resistance at zero magnetic
field) due to the application of the magnetic field.
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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 17th – 24th March 2010
Conclusions:
 The resistance of the sample first decreases for low magnetic fields as observed in the following
graph and then increases with the increase in the magnetic field.

Plot 3: Relative increase in the resistance of the sample (relative to its resistance at zero magnetic field) due to the
application of the magnetic field.

 Within the experimental limits the decrease in the resistance of the sample is not significant and so
we conclude that the magneto-resistance does exist and increases with the magnetic field for a
constant probe current.

Sources of Errors:
 The most common error in these experiments arises due to magnetic hysteresis and therefore it is
preferred not to calibrate the electromagnets for magnetic field but to measure it simultaneously
using a Hall probe.
 Loose connections and contact resistances should be taken care off using proper soldering etc.

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