Classical charge transport, such as longitudinal and Hall currents in weak magnetic fields, is usually not affected by quantum phenomena. Yet relativistic quantum mechanics is at the heart of the spin-orbit interaction, which has been at the forefront of efforts to realize spin-based electronics, new phases of matter, and topological quantum computing. In this work we demonstrate that quantum spin dynamics induced by the spin-orbit interaction is directly observable in classical charge transport. We determine the Hall coefficient $R_H$ of two-dimensional hole systems at low magnetic fields and show that it has a sizable spin-orbit contribution, which depends on the density $p$, is independent of temperature, is a strong function of the top gate electric field, and can reach $\sim 20\%$ of the total. We provide a general method for extracting the spin-orbit parameter from magnetotransport data, applicable even at higher temperatures where Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations and weak antilocalization are difficult to observe. Our work will enable experimentalists to measure spin-orbit parameters without requiring large magnetic fields, ultralow temperatures, or optical setups.

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• Electrical conductivity
• Magnetoelectric effect
• Magnetotransport
• Rashba coupling
• Semiconductors
• Spin-orbit coupling
• Spintronics