An international team of researchers has found a way to control a rare quantum phenomenon — the nonlinear Hall effect — which could bring closer the emergence of electronics capable of operating without batteries.
Unlike the classical Hall effect, which requires a magnetic field, here the voltage appears on its own — perpendicular to an alternating current and without external magnetic influence. This makes it possible to directly convert alternating current into direct current.
The experiments were carried out on a topological material with special electronic properties. As a result, the effect was observed and controlled at room temperature. This is critically important — many quantum phenomena still “live” only in laboratories with extreme cooling. In addition, the direction and magnitude of the voltage were controlled through temperature changes.
Today, electronics are increasingly moving toward autonomy: Internet of Things sensors, wearable devices, medical implants. Their main limitation is batteries: they take up space, require replacement, and limit service life. The possibility of obtaining energy directly from the environment — for example, from electromagnetic waves — looks like a logical next step.
