Doped Boron
Doped Boron is a form of processed Boron that can be used to fuel a Skip Drive. The skip-drive is similar in some ways to a jump drive, but instead of shifting to jump space, it causes a ship to accelrate to significant fraction of flight. By varying the intensity of the doping of the Boron, the final velocity and position can be set very accurately. There is something akin to a jump-not quite entering jump space, but nearing the boundary for a tiny fraction of a second. With the doped Boron driven drive, the ship can skip it's way up to any arbitrary maximum speed in just a fraction of a second to observers in both the original and target reference frames.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Like a darker version of Aluminum.
Physical & Chemical Properties
To most analaysis, this is simply crystalline Boron with some impurities.
Geology & Geography
Doped Boron has only been found in two locations: there is a fairly small deposit on Zeta V in the Nebula System, and Habbitzum in Wangshu
Origin & Source
The Doped Boron has only been found in two locations, and in both it has been present as crystal. While GCE scientists have figured out a lot of ways to manipulate this substance, actually getting it to form using pure Boron with the other constituents has failed consistently. Whatever created this particular substance using chemical techniques far beyond those available to the GCE, or some kind of unfathomable natural process.
The concept that a carefully regulated fusion reaction could be used to create the Skip Drive was first proposed over 300 years ago, in a paper that originated from the Third Imperium. But no one had a way to get that level regulation.
After Doped Boron was found on Habbitzum during a mining survey, it was quickly determined that no other major civilization, even at TL-15, had a record of this substance. In 1003, an analysis of Doped Boron by GCE scientists was republished in the Imperium scientific journal Metallurgical Chemistry, the first (and as of 1105, only) time that a GCE scientific paper was published in a major Third Imperium scientific journal. Still after the verification was announced, interest quickly faded, as it was very difficult to obtain samples and didn't have any obvious reason for excitement.
As the biggest scientific discovery in GCE history, research into Doped Boron proceeded within the GCE. In 1057, Dr. Klixo Herrus, was working on a thesis involving very high temperature analysis of Doped Boron. While researching the temprature profiles he was measuring, he found they closely matched the Skip Drive proposal as required by it's fuel source. Rather than publish this result, it was immediately classified as a Top Secret research project. Within 10 years, by 1067, GCE scientists had verified that this effect was real and controllable. As research into how to apply this substance, in 1075, another deposit was found on Zeta V, in the same Nebula System as the researchers, who were largely at Epsilon II.
In 1105, the first manned ship to have a Doped Boron drive will be launched to investigate a stellar anomaly moving at relativistic speeds.
Distribution
Trade & Market
5B
10.8
Type
Semiconductor
Value
Nearly priceless to those with knowledge of the Skip Drive; otherwise the same as low-purity Boron
Rarity
Very Rare
Odor
None
Taste
Not much
Color
Black-brown metalloid
Boiling / Condensation Point
4200K
Melting / Freezing Point
2349K
Density
2.08
Common State
Solid
Related Technologies
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