SEMICONDUCTOR

HALL EFFECT & ITS APPLICATION

THEORY

HALL EFFECT:
The Hall effect is one of the basic characterization experiments in
semiconductor physics.
Usually, a rectangular sample of semiconductor is preferred for this
experiment. A steady current is established in one direction and a
uniform magnetic field is applied at right angle to the current.
It is observed that a potential difference is developed in a direction
perpendicular to both, the direction of current and magnetic field. This
phenomenon is called the Hall effect.
The p.d. developed is called Hall voltage. The polarity of Hall voltage for
p-type material and n-type material is opposite. Hence, it is possible to
determine the type of charge carriers.

Expression for Hall voltage:

Let I be the current established along X-axis and B be the intensity of
magnetic field acting along Z-axis. Let d be thickness of the sample and
A be the cross sectional area (normal to the flow of current).
We consider a p-type material to derive an expression for the Hall
voltage VR.

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SEMICONDUCTOR

HALL EFFECT & ITS APPLICATION

THEORY

Action:

The magnetic field drives positively charged holes towards face 2 as the
magnetic force acts downwards.
Due to this, there is an accumulation of holes at the lower face i.e. face 2
and it becomes positively charged with respect to the upper face i.e. face

This results in the development of an electric field acting upwards. This

field opposes further flow of positively charged holes towards face 2.
Finally, no more holes are drifted towards face 2 even if the magnetic
field is acting because a balance is achieved between magnetic force
trying to drive the holes downwards and electric force trying to d1ive
them upwards.
The potential difference between face 2 and face 1 corresponding to this
peak electric field is nothing but the Hall voltage.

Derivation:

The magnetic force is given by FB = q(Vd x B ). As the field is

perpendicular to the drift velocity Vd the magnitude of magnetic
force is FB = q.Vd .B. Further, magnitude of the electric force is

FE = q.

At equilibrium, we have FB =

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FE

q.Vd .B. = q.

SEMICONDUCTOR

HALL EFFECT & ITS APPLICATION

Also, drift currebt density due to the steady current maintained

along X-axis J=

= q.p .Vd.

With these two expression we get

..

Above equation is expressed as

VH = RH

..

Where RH =

is called Hall Coefficient

(For n-type material, RH =

THEORY

For an n-type material, due to accumulation of electrons, faces 2

becomes negatively charged with respect to face 1 and win all the
settings kept the same, the Hall voltage recorded has opposite
polarity to that for a p-type material.

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SEMICONDUCTOR

HALL EFFECT & ITS APPLICATION

THEORY

Applications/significance of Hall effect:

The Hall effect is applicable in number of ways. If we have a precision

measurement for magnetic field available, (e.g. a guassmeter) we can
determine a number of charge carrier parameters.

Following are the applications of Hall effect:

Type of material or type of charge carrier can be determined.

Charge carrier concentration (n or p) can be calculated from the Hall
coefficient.
Mobility of charge carriers can be calculated from the Hall coefficient
from the relation:

where p is resistivity of the material.

Drift velocity can be calculated through: Vd =

It can be used as a magnetic field sensor.

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