  Free electron theory tells us that resistivity is independent of magnetic
field. In fact, most observations match the semiclassical prediction of a
magnetoresistance that is quadratic at low fields before saturating. However, a
non-saturating linear magnetoresistance has been observed in exotic
semiconductors such as silver chalcogenides, lightly-doped InSb, N-doped InAs,
MnAs-GaAs composites, PrFeAsO, and epitaxial graphene. Here we report the
observation of a large linear magnetoresistance in the ohmic regime in
commonplace commercial n-type silicon wafer. It is well-described by a
classical model of spatially fluctuating donor densities, and may be amplified
by altering the aspect ratio of the sample to enhance current-jetting:
increasing the width tenfold increased the magnetoresistance at 8 T from 445 %
to 4707 % at 35 K. This physical picture may well offer insights into the large
magnetoresistances recently observed in n-type and p-type Si in the non-ohmic
regime.
