Nearly free electron theory of the Hall effect

Abstract

A force-force correlation function formalism is used to obtain the memory function to lowest order in the scattering and first order in the magnetic field, and the resistivity tensor and Hall coefficient are thus obtained. At sufficiently high temperatures the independent particle expression for the Hall coefficient can be written in terms of the resistivity, density of states at the Fermi level and thermoelectric power. Comparison with experiment in this form indicates that the nearly free electron theory is inadequate to explain the closeness of the Hall coefficients of liquid metals to the free electron values.