Calculating Current Using Hall Effect in a Magnetic Field

Calculating Current in a Magnetic Field Using Hall Effect

Assume a rectangular strip of a material with an electron density of n = 5.8 x 10^20 cm^-3. The strip is 8 mm wide and 0.8 mm thick and it is in a magnetic field of 5 T pointing out of the paper plane. The Hall voltage is measured to be 1.5 mV. What was the current during this measurement? State the current in Amp units.

Question:

What was the current measured during this Hall effect experiment?

Answer:

I = 111.69 pA

Explanation: The Hall effect is all about the fact that when a semiconductor is placed perpendicularly to a magnetic field, a voltage is generated which could be measured at right angle to the current path. This voltage is known as the hall voltage.

The formula for the Hall voltage of a semiconductor sensor is V = IxB/qnd. By substituting the given values into the formula, we calculate that the current I during this measurement was approximately 111.69 picoAmps.

Final answer:

By using the given values in the formula for the Hall voltage, we calculate that the current during this measurement was approximately 0.0028 Amps.

Explanation:

The subject of this question is the Hall effect, which is observed in electrical conductors subjected to a magnetic field perpendicular to the current. The formula for the Hall voltage is V_H = -IB/(ne), where I is the current, B is the magnetic field, n is the electron density, and e is the electronic charge (1.6 x 10^-19 Coulombs). Plugging in the given values, we solve for I and find that the current was approximately 0.0028 Amps.