In theStar Trekfictional universe,dilithium is afictional material that serves as a controlling agent in the matter-antimatter reactors. Inthe original series, dilithium crystals were rare and could not bereplicated, making the search for them a recurring plot element. According to a periodic table shown during aNext Generation episode, it has theatomic number 87 (which in reality belongs tofrancium), and thechemical symbol Dt.[1][failed verification]
In reality,dilithium (Li2) is amolecule composed of twocovalently bonded lithium atoms which exists naturally in gaseous lithium.
Dilithium is depicted as a valuable, extremely hardcrystalline mineral that occurs naturally on some planets.
The fictional properties of the material in the authors' guideStar Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (1991) explain it as uniquely suited to contain and regulate the annihilation reaction of matter and antimatter in a starship's warp core: In a high-frequency electromagnetic field,eddy currents are induced in the dilithium crystal structure, which keep charged particles away from the crystal lattice. This prevents it from coming in contact withantimatter when so energized, hence neverannihilating, because the antimatter particles never actually touch it.[a]
In the original series, dilithium crystals were rare, and crystals made byreplicator were unsatisfactory for use in warp drives. Hence story lines based on the need for natural dilithium crystals for travel—much likepetroleum—made deposits of this material a highly contested resource between fictional factions in the stories, and as such, dilithium crystals have been used by writers to introduce interstellar conflict more than all other reasons combined.[citation needed]
As depicted on the show, the streams ofmatter (deuterium gas) andantimatter (anti-deuterium) directed into crystallized dilithium are unbalanced –there is usually much more matter in the stream than antimatter. The annihilation reaction heats the excess deuterium gas, which producesplasma for thenacelles and allowsfaster than light travel.In addition,film sets representing the crawl-spaces for the inner workings of starships tend to be depicted as adjacent to the "EPS" conduits that channel plasma to critical ships' internal systems.[b]
Dilithium is a member of a so-called "hypersonic" series of elements, according to a fictional periodic table graphic presented in episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generation[1] andStar Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). The material is suspected by its fictional users of existing in more dimensions than the conventional three + one dimensions ofspacetime, and that this somehow is related to its unconventional or paradoxical properties.[2]
The dilithium mineral structure is 2(5)6 dilithium 2(:)l diallosilicate 1:9:1 heptoferranide, according to the authors' guideStar Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (1991).
In respect of the fictionalreplication technology used as background for theStar Trek universe, although low-quality artificial crystals can be grown or replicated, the synthetic dilithium crystals can only regulate a limited amount of power without fragmenting, and are largely unsuitable for use in warp drives.[c]
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