Hall Sensors

In 1879, Edwin H. Hall (1855-1938), an american
physicist, discovered this effect. The electrons of the current
flowing in an electrical conductor are diverted from their normal
direct path by an outer magnetic field perpendicular to their
motion. Due to the so-called Lorentz force, a potential difference
(the Hall voltage) is created, proportional to the field strength of
the magnetic field and to the current. Silicon is used almost
exclusively as a basic material for the technical implementation
of magnetic field sensors, as the Hall-effect is most pronounced
in semiconductors. In modern Hall-effect sensor devices, the
magnetic field sensitive Hall element is combined with the signal
processing on a single silicon chip. Three different types of
sensor architecture are available today:
- Digital switches
- Linear sensors
- Direct angle sensors