| ...Starship Sensor-absorption layer | |
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The material used in this layer is something called a meta-material; a composite substance that derives its physical properties from structure rather than chemical makeup. In this case, the material is made from copper and verterium. The copper layer is made from alternating rows of copper rods and split rings of copper that resemble interlocking washers. This material is "left-handed", meaning its EM properties are the opposite of normal materials such as glass; ie it bends microwaves the opposite way from normal materials, for example. Now, at the scale of 1 millimeter the radiation bent is microwaves, at 1 micrometer its visible light, and so on down to the nanometer scale for low-end X-ray absorption. A similar setup with verterium handles subspace energy. Whats the point? well, all active sensor systems have to bounce something off the thing being scanned, and if nothing returns to the scanning ship nothing can be learned. This material can provide 100% absorption at whatever frequency one wishes; the meta-material can be tailored for a single or multiple frequencies. Improved Sensor Receiving Array An array constructed with this would draw in more of the returned signal, with less scattering and no need of focusing equipment. |
