Researchers Demonstrate In-Plane Hall Effect, Challenging a Century-Old Physics Assumption

A research group at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Physics has experimentally confirmed an in-plane anomalous Hall effect, disproving the century-old view that Hall voltages arise only when magnetic fields are perpendicular to a material. By stacking a few-layer crystal of TaIrTe4 with a magnetic Cr2Ge2Te6 layer, the scientists induced magnetic properties in the otherwise non-magnetic material while preserving its electronic behavior.

The resulting device displayed both the conventional Hall signal and a novel signal linked to magnetization within the plane of the film. This dual-axis response suggests that a single ultrathin sensor could replace multiple conventional Hall sensors, simplifying magnetic sensing hardware. Theoretical modeling by Shubhayu Chatterjee linked the effect to reduced symmetry and enhanced spin-orbit coupling at the interface. The work, reported in Nature Materials, also paves the way for further material combinations and room-temperature testing toward practical applications.