What is a semiconductor?

A semiconductor is a material that is neither a good conductor of electricity (like copper) nor a good (like rubber). It is any class of solids whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures.

The most common semiconductor materials are silicon and germanium. Computer chips, both for CPU and memory, are composed of semiconductor materials.

Semiconductors make it possible to miniaturize electronic components, such as transistors. Not only does miniaturization mean that the components take up less space, it also means that they are faster and require less energy. Carbon nanotubes can act as semiconductors and are looked at as a possible source of next-generation chips.

Other helpful links:

The history of the integrated circuit
What is an integrated circuit and how do they become obsolete
What is the benefit of buying obsolete integrated circuits and semiconductors?