The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their groundbreaking experiments revealing quantum mechanical phenomena in systems large enough to hold in the hand [1]. Their discoveries—macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit—are shaping the future of quantum technology.
The Laureates and Their Achievement
- John Clarke, University of California, Berkeley, USA
- Michel H. Devoret, Yale University, New Haven, CT, and University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
- John M. Martinis, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
In a series of experiments during the 1980s, these physicists built superconducting circuits separated by thin insulating layers, known as Josephson junctions. By keenly measuring and refining their setup, they controlled the flow of charged particles within the circuit, creating a system that acted as a single quantum particle across its macroscopic size [2].
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Quantum Tunnelling and Energy Quantisation
Their major breakthrough was the realization that this macroscopic system could escape its zero-voltage state via quantum tunnelling, an event typically observed at the microscopic level. The transition was detected as a voltage spike, providing concrete evidence for quantum behavior on a human scale. Additionally, their experiments confirmed energy quantisation: the system could only absorb or emit specific discrete energy values, as predicted by quantum mechanics.
Advancing Quantum Technology
The impact of their work reaches far beyond academic curiosity. By proving that quantum mechanics governs even complex and large systems, their discoveries pave the way for innovations such as quantum computers, quantum cryptography, and advanced quantum sensors. These technologies promise enhanced security, computational power, and measurement sensitivity, driving the next wave of scientific advancement.
References:
[1] https://www.nobelprize.org/all-nobel-prizes-2025/
[2] https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2025/press-release/
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