Normal-State Hall Effect and the Insulating Resistivity of High-Tc Cuprates at Low Temperatures

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The normal-state Hall coefficient Rₕ and the in-plane resistivity ρab are measured in La-doped Bi₂Sr₂CuOy (Tc ≃ 13 K) single crystals and La₂₋ₓSrₓCuO₄ thin films by suppressing superconductivity with 61-T pulsed magnetic fields. In contrast to data above Tc, the Rₕ below 10 K shows little temperature dependence in all the samples measured, irrespective of whether ρab exhibits insulating or metallic behavior. Thus, whatever physical mechanism gives rise to insulating behavior in the low-temperature normal state, it leaves the Hall conductivity relatively unchanged.