Why is the E-field inside a conductor zero?

[flyingpig]

Not quite. Even if you keep the external electric field up at a constant level, the field inside the conductor will drop away to zero. But if you have a constantly changing electric field, such as an EM wave (or AC current), if the frequency of the change is high enough then I suppose you could keep the electric field inside the conductor from settling down to zero.

Isn't that what's happening in a semi-conductor?

 

[flyingpig]

Will my search for an answer ever end...?

 

[ideasrule]

Isn't that what's happening in a semi-conductor?

I don't think it's wise to start thinking about semiconductors before understanding what happens in a conductor and insulator. Semiconductors are not simply half-way between conductors and insulators; they have many weird and wonderful properties that are too complicated to discuss before you grasp the basics.