EXPERIMENT – DATE: _____________

DETERMINATION OF HALL COEFFICIENT OF A SEMICONDUCTOR

1. Satisfies the cognitive level Analyze of Bloom’s Taxonomy

2. Achieves _____of Course Outcomes & ____________of Program
Outcomes

Apparatus:
The apparatus consists of Electromagnets, Power supply for Electromagnets, Gauss meter
for measuring magnetic Flux, Germanium Crystal, Constant Current Power supply for Crystal,
digital Voltmeter, digital current meter etc.

Theory:
Hall Effect is the development of a potential gradient across a current carrying conductor
situated in a magnetic field. The direction of the potential gradient is normal to that of both the
current and the component of the magnetic perpendicular to the current. The Hall coefficient
R is defined as the transverse electric field per unit current per unit magnetic field. Let us
consider a metal slab of length ‘l’, breadth 'a', and thickness 't'. Along the length, a current ‘i’
is flowing. This is taken as X-direction. Z-direction is taken parallel to the thickness of the slab
and a magnetic field is applied along this direction. Therefore an electric field develops along
the Y -direction.
If v be the velocity of the moving electrons in the slab, the force on the electrons at right angles
to the x-z plane will be
𝒆 𝒆
𝒗⃗ × 𝑯⃗ 𝒚 = 𝒗𝒙 𝑯 … … … … … … . . (𝒊)
𝒄 𝒄
where e is the electronic charge and c is the velocity of light. This force is balanced by the
force due to the electric field produced. Hence, we may write
𝒆
𝒆𝑬𝒚 = − 𝒗𝒙 𝑯 . . . . . . . . . (𝒊𝒊)
𝒄
𝒗𝒙 𝑯
or, 𝑬𝒚 = − 𝒄 . . . . . . . . . (𝒊𝒊𝒊)
𝒊
Now, current density 𝒋 = 𝒂𝒕 = 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒙 . . . . . . . . . (𝒊𝒗)
where n = carrier concentration in the material.
𝒋
or, 𝑽𝒙 = 𝒏𝒆 . . . . . . . . . (𝒗) Substituting equation (v) in equation (iii).
𝒋𝑯 𝑬 𝟏
we have, 𝑬𝒚 = − 𝒏𝒆𝒄 . So Hall Coefficient 𝑹 = 𝒋𝑯𝒚 = − 𝒏𝒆𝒄 . . . . . . . . . (𝒗𝒊)
Let 𝑉 be the Hall voltage developed across the breadth of the sample. Then
𝑽𝑯
𝑽𝑯 𝒕𝑽𝑯 3
𝑬𝒚 = 𝒂
And, 𝑹 = 𝒊
𝒂
= 𝒊𝑯
m /Coulomb
×𝑯
𝒂𝒕
𝒕𝑽𝑯
or, 𝑅= m3/ Coulomb………..(vii)
𝒊𝑯
were 𝑉 is in volts, iis in amps and H is in TESLA. This is our working formula.
Procedure:
1) Switch on the electromagnet power supply and Gauss meter adjust the magnetization
current and obtain the calibration data for the magnetic field produced by the
electromagnet.
2) Switch on the Hall probe power supply and adjust the sample current (say few mA).
3) Now place the probe in the magnetic field and switch on the electromagnet power
supply and adjust the current to any desired value. Rotate the germanium crystal probe
till it becomes perpendicular to magnetic field. Hall voltage will be maximum in this
adjustment. Measure Hall voltage for both the directions of magnetic field. Plot Hall
voltage vs. sample current.

Supplied Specifications of Crystal:

𝟒
Thickness (t) =𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒎

Experimental data:

Data for magnetic field calibration

Table 1

Magnetic field intensity H in

No. of observation Magnetization current I (Amp.) Tesla
(1Tesla=104 Gauss)
1 1 0.1482
2 1.5 0.2223
3 2 0.2964
4 2.5 0.3706
5 3 0.4447

6 3.5 0.5188
7 4 0.5929
8 4.5 0.6670
9 5 0.7411
 Measurement of Hall voltage

Magnetisation current = ___5______A (fixed)

Magnetic field =H= __0.7411_____Tesla (fixed)

Table 2

Sample current ‘i'through

No. of observation Hall voltage VH(mV)
the current probe (mA)
1 1 143.778
2 1.5 215.667
3 2 287.556
4 2.5 359.446
5 3 431.335
6 3.5 503.220
7 4 575.113
8 4.5 647.002
9 5 718.891

Plot sample(Hall) current along x-axis and Hall voltage along y-axis. The graph will be
a straight line passing through the origin. Hence calculate Hall coefficient R from the
working formula viz. equation (vii).

𝑽𝑯
Thickness (t) Magnetic field intensity (H) fromgraph(3) 𝒕𝑽𝑯
𝒊 𝑅= m3.C-1
(m) (T) V.A-1 𝒊𝑩

143.78 0.0194
 Measurement of Hall voltage
Table 3
Sample current through the current probe = 5 mA

Magnetization current Hall voltage VH

No. of observation Magnetic field H (tesla )
I(amp.) (mV)

1 1 0.1482 143.778

2 1.5 0.2223 215.667

3 2 0.2964 287.556

4 2.5 0.3706 359.446

5 3 0.4446 431.335

6 3.5 0.5188 503.224

7 4 0.5929 575.113

8 4.5 0.6670 647.002

9 5 0.7411 718.861
Plot magnetic field along x-axis and Hall voltage along y-axis. The graph will be a straight line
passing through the origin. Hence calculate Hall coefficient R from the working formula viz.
equation (vii).

Calculation:
𝑽𝑯
Thickness (t) Sample current (i) fromgraph(3) 𝒕𝑽𝑯
𝑯 𝑅= m3. C-1
(m) (A) V.T-1 𝒊𝑯

969.64 0.0194