Metalloid is a term used in chemistry when classifying the chemical elements. On the basis of their general physical and chemical properties, nearly every element in the periodic table can be termed either a metal or a nonmetal. However, a few elements with intermediate properties are referred to as metalloids (from the Greek metallon = "metal" and eidos = "sort"). They are sometimes alternatively called and confused with semiconductors and semimetals.
There is no rigorous definition of the term, but the following properties are usually considered characteristic of metalloids:
* metalloids often form amphoteric oxides.
* metalloids often behave as semiconductors (B,Si,Ge).
The concepts of metalloid and semiconductor should not be confused. Metalloid refers to the properties of certain elements in relation to the periodic table. Semiconductor refers to the physical properties of materials (including alloys, compounds) and there is only partial overlap between the two.
The following elements are generally considered metalloids:[1]
* Boron (B)
* Silicon (Si)
* Germanium (Ge)
* Arsenic (As)
* Antimony (Sb)
* Tellurium (Te)
* Polonium (Po)
