What waveform is typically produced by Hall effect sensors?

Hall effect sensors are designed to detect the presence and magnitude of a magnetic field and produce an output signal that indicates this detection. When specifically considering the output of Hall effect sensors, they typically generate a square waveform.

The reason for this square waveform output is that Hall effect sensors operate based on the principle of switching. When a magnetic field is applied, the sensor's output transitions from a low state to a high state, and then back to low when the magnetic field is removed or inverted. This on-off behavior leads to the characteristic square waveform, where the transitions occur abruptly, resulting in a signal that resembles a square wave.

This square waveform is crucial for various applications, such as in automotive systems where the sensors are used for detecting positions of moving components, speed of rotation, or other pertaining measurements where precise and rapid changes are needed.