Frequently Asked Questions

A number system using three digits: −1, 0, and +1. Unlike binary (0/1), balanced ternary has a natural zero and symmetric positive/negative values. Each digit is called a "trit" (ternary digit). It was identified by Donald Knuth as the most elegant number system and was used in the Soviet Setun computer (1958).

Information theory shows the optimal radix for computation is e ≈ 2.718 — base 3 is the closest integer. Each trit carries ~1.585 bits of information. Balanced ternary eliminates two's complement (negation is just sign-flipping), makes rounding natural, and reduces the number of digit positions needed, potentially lowering power consumption.

Quantum computing uses qubits that exist in superposition. This project uses classical ternary logic — three definite current states via photonic trit encoding, not quantum states. The SWCNT@MWCNT device operates at room temperature with deterministic behavior. The two technologies are complementary, not competing.

Yes — the Setun computer (1958, Moscow State University) was a working balanced ternary machine. It used transformer cores, not transistors. The THATTE project is the first to design a complete ternary stack using a photonic-ternary nanotube device (SWCNT@MWCNT), which is naturally suited to three-state operation.

A photonic-ternary nanotube device where a metallic (8,8) armchair single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) sits inside a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). A photon (~710 nm) optically couples to the MWCNT, and AC pulse polarity on the SWCNT determines the trit state: +1 (positive current), 0 (no signal), or −1 (negative current). NEGF simulation confirms ±74 μA with SNR > 2000.

6 patents (complete specifications) covering the complete stack: device fabrication (Thatte1), gate library and arithmetic (Thatte2), processor and ISA (Thatte3), memory and interconnect (Thatte4), security and DFT/BIST (Thatte5), and ManiT compiler, language, and THATTEOS (Thatte6). See the Patents page for full details.

The SWCNT@MWCNT device has been verified by NEGF quantum transport simulation (Kwant), confirming ±74 μA trit currents with SNR > 2000 (54 dB). The compiler and OS have been implemented and compiled to .t3b binaries. Physical device fabrication is a future milestone that depends on nanofabrication facility access.

NEGF (Non-Equilibrium Green's Function) is a rigorous quantum transport method for simulating nanoscale devices. The SWCNT@MWCNT device was simulated using Kwant, confirming that photon absorption by the MWCNT detunes its energy levels from the SWCNT, modulating conductance from 1.47 to 1.91 G₀. Combined with AC pulse polarity, this produces clean ±74 μA trit currents. Read more on the Blog.

6 complete patent specifications were filed at the Indian Patent Office in April 2026.

Yes. Research, development, and commercial licenses are available. Contact manish@maniTLab.org for enquiries. See the Licensing page for details.

Balanced ternary mathematics and the general concept of ternary computing are public knowledge. The patents cover specific inventions: the THATTE device structure, specific circuit designs, the fabrication method, the ISA, the processor architecture, the OS design, the filesystem, and the data structure.

Manish Jagdish Thatte, an independent inventor and researcher based in Nashik, Maharashtra, India. The core concept dates to 2006, documented in a notarized affidavit.

Contact manish@maniTLab.org. The project welcomes academic collaborators, potential licensees, and investors interested in ternary computing.

This is under consideration for after international patent filings are secured. The goal is to enable broad adoption while protecting the inventor's rights.

The Technology page has a technical overview. The Blog has detailed writeups on device verification, the OS design, and the case for balanced ternary. The Patents page lists all 6 patents with descriptions.