A new study examined the mechanism governing the nonlinear Hall effect, paving the way for battery-free devices.
An international team of scientists has shown that tiny imperfections and vibrations within a quantum material can be leveraged to control a surprising quantum effect called the nonlinear Hall effect. The new discovery could pave the way for smaller and more efficient energy-harvesting devices.
Impressively, according to the researchers, it could one day enable electrical devices that operate without batteries and draw energy from their surroundings.Quantum effect to enable battery-free devicesFor their study, the team, led by Professor Dongchen Qi from the QUT School of Chemistry and Physics and Professor Xiao Renshaw Wang from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, set out to investigate the mechanism governing the nonlinear Hall effect . The Hall effect is an observable phenomenon discovered by Edwin Hall in 1879. When an electric current flows through a flat piece of metal or semiconductor, and you apply a magnetic field perpendicular to that current, a measurable voltage appears across the sides of the material. That is, perpendicular to both the current and the magnetic field.This effect is put to use in many everyday electronics systems via hall effect sensors. They power wheel speed sensors in cars for speedometers, they are in our smartphones, and also in Hall-effect joysticks for video game controllers.Unlike the classical Hall effect, the NLHE allows for alternating electrical signals to be converted into usable direct current without requiring traditional diodes or large components. “The NLHE is a sophisticated quantum phenomenon in condensed matter physics where a voltage is generated perpendicular to an applied alternating current, even in the absence of a magnetic field,” Qi explained in a press statement.“This effect allows us to convert alternating signals straight into direct current, which is what’s needed to power electronic devices. In principle, it means sensors or chips that could operate without batteries, drawing energy from their environment.”Building next-generation devicesFor their study, the team studied a high-quality topological material with unusual electronic properties. They discovered that the NLHE remained stable up to room temperature.They also found that they could control the direction and strength of the generated voltage using temperature. At lower temperatures, tiny imperfections in the material governed the behavior. At warmer temperatures, however, natural vibrations of the crystal lattice caused the electrical signal to change direction.“Once you understand what’s happening inside the material, you can design devices to take advantage of it,” Qi said.“That’s when quantum effects stop being abstract and start becoming useful—supporting future applications ranging from self-powered sensors and wearable technology to ultra-fast components for next-generation wireless networks.”The study was published in the journal Newton.
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