Hall effect in 2D systems with hopping transport and strong disorder

Abstract

We reconsider the theory of Hall effect in the systems with hopping conduction. The purpose of the present study is to compare the percolation approach based on the optimal triad model with numerical simulations and recent experimental results. We show that, in the nearest neighbor hopping regime, the results of the percolation theory agree to the simulation. However, in the variable range hopping (VRH) regime, the optimal triad model fails to describe the numerical results. It is related to the extremely small probability to find the optimal triad of sites in the percolation cluster in the VRH regime. The contribution of these triads to the Hall effect appears to be small. We describe the Hall mobility in the VRH regime with the empirical law obtained from the numerical results. The law is in agreement with our recent experimental data in 2D quantum dot arrays with the hopping transport.