quantum tunneling explained

At the heart of our carbon technology is a process called quantum tunneling. It's what makes our technology different from traditional electronic components (like silicon & germanium diodes). 

To get technical, it's when a "subatomic particle passes through a potential barrier that it cannot surmount under the provision of classical mechanics". 

​To get very not-technical, it's going through stuff instead of around it. In our case, your tone is actually going through a layer of carbon molecules, not around it.
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Quantum Tunneling Simplified

molecular electronics                                 

Our carbon technology is part of an exciting new domain of science called molecular electronics.

This is where molecules integrate directly into electronic designs. For example, in our Nanolog Devices™, the chain of carbon molecules becomes part of the circuit and maintains the analog signal. 

Our technology is the very first commercial application for this technology and science. So when we say leading edge, that's what we mean. Molecular electronics has been studied as a way to increase electronic functions and was envisioned as a way to continue advancing Moore's Law to its ultimate limit. 

Molecular electronics is offering new ways to shape the electronics that are the foundation of our society. It's here now, and it's starting with your tone. And we think that's pretty cool. 

the nanoscale

Now think of the smallest thing you've seen. And now, think 100,000 times smaller. That's the nanoscale. 

Our devices are made up of a layer of carbon molecules 2-8 nm thick, which is about 20,000 times thinner than your average strand of hair. Yeah, it's tiny. It's beyond micro.

When you're dealing with such minute sizes, different physical mechanisms apply. This sets our technology apart from all traditional electronic components in a big (or very small) way. 

...but silicon uses molecules too               

Something we hear a lot is "silicon diodes use molecules too, it's the same thing, and just fancy science lingo".

First off, of course silicon diodes are made up of molecules... everything is! The difference is that our technology operates at the nanoscale and uses quantum tunneling, all described above. 

Where traditional diodes are made up of billions of molecules, our active Nanolog Devices are made up of 2 to 8. And those molecules create a direct link in an electrical circuit. Traditional diodes are determined by classical physics, and as such, they operate differently. 

i-V curve comparison

Maybe something you don't consider every day, is how important electricity is to your tone. It is called the "electric" guitar after all. 

All the benefits of quantum tunneling and our technology comes back to the way that it conducts electricity. Diodes, whether silicon or germanium, are "start/stop" conductors that either conduct at a certain voltage, or they don't. That is pn junction physics in a nutshell. 

Quantum tunneling conducts differently: it's smooth and continuous. This is possible because the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle allows an electron to "show up" on the other side of a molecular layer that separates two conductors. This creates conduction at "classically forbidden" voltages. This has a profound effect on the way that sound is transmitted. An interesting note is that by controlling the thickness of our devices, we can change their IV Curves.

 sound wave comparison                    

Here we can see the result of different clipping options. The main difference is that our carbon technology is less compressed with softer edges.

This creates dynamic tones that eliminate much of the "harshness" and saturation typical of diodes. What these sound waves don't encapsulate is the actual texture of the tones created. You can hear this in any of the many reviews of our products here. 

molecular junction patent

The technical term for a Nanolog Device™ is a "molecular junction". We have a fully issued patent in the USA, and several patents pending around the world. 

A "Nanolog Device™" is what we call the electronic components we manufacture. We sell Nanolog Devices™ to other pedal builders, as well as use them in our own products. You can find more details about the devices in the "building" section. We are always seeking out new potential applications and other innovators to work with.

It takes a very particular skill set and access to advanced fabrication facilities to create our products. We aren't worried about anyone copying us anytime soon, and frankly, we will be amazed if anyone else can even pull it off! 

   manufacturing  nanolog devices™                             

 From top to bottom, our Nanolog Devices™ are manufactured in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, which is a great hub for nanotechnology and entrepreneurship. Many opportunities exist here for funding, research, and commercialization. 

Our products were developed at the Nanotechnology Research Centre, which is a part of the National Research Council Canada, and has close partnerships with the University of Alberta.

Currently, we further rely on the services of nanoFAB and ACAMP to help us prototype and develop this technology at growing scales to meet the increasing demand and expanding market opportunities. 

resources

For those of you who are truly devoted to learning about molecular electronics, quantum tunneling, or our work with molecular junctions, there is a wealth of resources out there at your disposal. 

We appreciate that many guitar players don't know what a silicon diode is in the first place. Above is a very "high level" overview of an incredibly complex process and challenging scientific theories. So thanks for bearing with us. 

A great place to start learning is with either Rick or Adam's research. Alternatively, there's always Google. 

creators                                                      

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Pictured: Richard McCreery (Left), Adam Bergren (Right)
It's taken a lifetime of research, commitment, and exploration to have gotten to the point we are at today. 

Molecular Electronics was once considered only a future possibility, something that was unable to be achieved in everyday life. Thanks to the efforts of our founders, Rick McCreery and Adam Bergren, we're now able to ​say that the future is here! 

Adam is a PhD Senior Research Officer at the NRC's Nanotechnology Research Centre, and Rick is a Professor of Chemistry at the university of Alberta. Both have a peculiar affinity for carbon, science, and tone. You can always get in contact with us with inquiries, or follow us on the social media icons below to hear more. 

the devices

Want to know more about the actual Nanolog Devices™? Check out our builder page here:

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guitar pedals

Want to take home a piece of the future? Check out some of our products fully loaded with carbon technology here: