The "accident" of the electronic "highway" can make computers faster and mobile phones more power-efficient!

Hall Effect? ​​It sounds cool, but it's actually very simple!

Imagine you are riding a skateboard. As you are sliding forward with all your strength, if there is a sudden gust of wind from the side, you will be blown a little sideways. This is a force affecting the direction of your movement.

In the world of electronics, there is a similar phenomenon known as the Hall effect.

What is the Hall Effect?

To put it simply, the Hall effect means that when a group of electrons are walking in a line in a wire, if a magnetic field suddenly appears, these electrons will be pushed to one side by the force of the magnetic field, just like a skateboard blown crooked by a side wind.

For example, imagine that the wire is like a highway and the electrons are cars. When these cars are speeding on the highway, if a magnetic field suddenly appears, it is like the highway suddenly becomes a slope, and the cars will be pushed to the side by the force of the "slope".
The quantum Hall effect is an extension of the Hall effect in the field of quantum mechanics. When electrons pass through a two-dimensional electron system under low temperature and strong magnetic field, the Hall resistance will show a step-like quantization phenomenon. When the Hall resistance reaches a certain quantum value, the resistance of the conductor disappears and the current flows only at the edge of the conductor.

The quantum anomalous Hall effect is a special form of the quantum Hall effect. Unlike the quantum Hall effect, which requires a strong magnetic field, the quantum anomalous Hall effect can also occur without an external magnetic field. This phenomenon was discovered in topological insulator materials.

Topological insulators are materials with a special electronic structure that conducts electricity on the surface but insulates the interior. When such materials are combined with ferromagnetic materials, the quantum anomalous Hall effect can be observed at low temperatures.

Academician Xue Qikun won the National Highest Science and Technology Award in 2024 for the first experimental observation of the quantum anomalous Hall effect.

What’s the use of these “high-end” things?

In fact, they have a very important impact on our lives.

Faster computers: The quantum Hall effect could help us make smaller and faster chips, making our computers run faster.

More power-efficient mobile phones: The quantum anomalous Hall effect can help us create more power-efficient electronic devices, allowing our mobile phones to last longer.

More precise measurements: The quantum Hall effect can be used to create extremely precise measuring instruments, helping scientists explore the microscopic world.

Source: Chongqing Radio Science Popularization Experience Center

Audit expert: Yang Yaohui

Statement: Except for original content and special notes, some pictures are from the Internet. They are not for commercial purposes and are only used as popular science materials. The copyright belongs to the original authors. If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete them.