skin effect

Distribution of current flow in a cylindrical conductor, shown in cross section. For alternating current, current density decreases exponentially from the surface towards the inside. Skin depth, δ, is defined as the depth where the current density is just 1/e (about 37%) of the value at the surface; it depends on the frequency of the current and the electrical and magnetic properties of the conductor. Induction cookers use stranded coils (Litz wire) to reduce heating of the coil itself due to skin effect. The AC frequencies used in induction cookers are much higher than standard mains frequency ‒ typically around 25–50 kHz.

In electromagnetism, skin effect is the tendency of an alternating electric current (AC) to become distributed within a conductor such that the current density is largest near the surface of the conductor and decreases exponentially with greater depths in the conductor. It is caused by opposing eddy currents induced by the changing magnetic field resulting from the alternating current. The electric current flows mainly at the skin of the conductor, between the outer surface and a level called the skin depth.