NORMAL-STATE HALL-EFFECT AND THE INSULATING RESISTIVITY OF HIGH-T-C CUPRATES AT LOW-TEMPERATURES

The normal-state Hall coefficient R-H and the in-plane resistivity rho (ab) are measured in La-doped Bi2Sr2CuOy (T-c similar or equal to 13 K ) single crystals and La2-xSrxCuO4 thin films by suppressing supercond uctivity with 61-T pulsed magnetic fields. In contrast to data above T -c, the R-H below similar to 10 K shows little temperature dependence in all the samples measured, irrespective of whether rho(ab) exhibits insulating or metallic behavior. Thus, whatever physical mechanism giv es rise to insulating behavior in the low-temperature normal state, it leaves the Hall conductivity relatively unchanged.