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🔵 Hall Effect

Current flows through a conductor in a perpendicular magnetic field. The Lorentz force F = qv × B deflects charge carriers, accumulating charge on one face and generating the Hall voltage: V_H = IB/(nqd).

Current I (A): 2.0 B-field (T): 1.0 Carrier density n (×10²²): 1.0

V_H = 0.00 mV

Drift v_d = 0.00 mm/s

F_L = 0.00 aN

Type: n-type

V_H = IB / (nqd) │ F_L = qv_dB │ R_H = 1/(nq)

The Hall Effect (1879)

Discovered by Edwin Hall, this effect arises when current-carrying charge carriers experience a Lorentz force perpendicular to both their velocity and an applied magnetic field. They accumulate on one face of the conductor until the electric force from the built-up charge exactly balances the magnetic force — establishing the Hall voltage.

In n-type semiconductors, electrons (blue) carry current in the −x direction. In p-type, holes (red) carry current in the +x direction. Crucially, the Hall voltage polarity reverses, allowing you to determine the majority carrier type — key in semiconductor characterisation.