Models of quantum Hall effect (QHE) devices described by an equivalent circ
uit are used both to analyze measurement systems and to study QHE physics.
Although the most widely used equivalent is the one proposed by Ricketts an
d Kemeny, various other circuits have been published to suit to different n
eeds in QHE analysis, including a network with only resistors and unity-gai
n amplifiers. In the following we discuss a general approach to the analysi
s of the electrical behavior of QHE devices, and show that they can be clas
sified as gyrators. Gyrators are nonreciprocal network elements whose prope
rties are well known from the theory of electrical network. They can be reg
arded as generalized equivalents of Hall effect devices, thus setting a gen
eral framework for the study of the electrical behavior of QHE and the deri
vation of equivalent circuits. Through the application of this technique, a
n electronic circuit capable of simulating a QHE device with nonnull longit
udinal resistance is derived.