Three US-based physicists — John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis — have jointly won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for revealing how quantum behaviour can manifest in ordinary electric circuits. Their groundbreaking research bridges the invisible quantum world of subatomic particles with real-world technology, paving the way for quantum computing and precision sensors.
The trio discovered that even in everyday-looking electrical circuits, particles can behave in quantum ways — exhibiting tunnelling and energy quantisation. These phenomena were previously believed to occur only within atoms or molecules.
Imagine a ball rolling toward a hill. Normally, if the ball doesn’t have enough energy, it stops. But in the quantum world, it can mysteriously appear on the other side — as if it has passed through the hill.
In electronic systems, this means electric current can pass through barriers that should normally block it — a phenomenon now applied in super-sensitive detectors and quantum computer chips.
At the quantum level, energy doesn’t change smoothly; it changes in discrete steps — like climbing stairs instead of walking up a ramp.
Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis demonstrated that this same “stepped” pattern of energy exists in electrical circuits as well. This principle enables engineers to create stable quantum bits (qubits) — the fundamental units of quantum computing.
Their discoveries transform quantum mechanics from a theoretical concept into a practical tool. These findings enable the creation of devices that can:
- Detect extremely faint signals
- Store information with enhanced security
- Perform computations far faster than conventional computers
A traditional computer is like someone checking every lock in a building one at a time. A quantum computer, however, can test all the locks simultaneously — dramatically reducing the time required. The discoveries by Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis make such super-efficient computing possible.
Just as the invention of transistors sparked the digital revolution of the 20th century, these quantum breakthroughs may drive the next revolution in medicine, navigation, and communication technologies.
Their research marks a turning point — moving from understanding the quantum world to harnessing it for transformative applications.
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