The ac Hall effect in high-T-c superconductors

Far-infrared magnetotransmission measurements of normal-state YBa2Cu3O7 thin films are discussed. The magneto-optical signals observed in circularly polarized light are consistent with the ac Hall effect of holes with a reduced scattering rate and an enhanced mass compared to the zero-held transport parameters. The results agree with a simple high-frequency extension of models which have been developed to explain the anomalous de Hall effect in the normal state of high-T-c superconductors in terms of two scattering rates. The Hall scattering rate 1/tau(H) similar to T-n/W-s, where n greater than or equal to 2 and W-s congruent to 120 K. These experiments provide new tests of the Fermi-liquid versus non-Fermi-liquid nature of these materials.