The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three distinguished scientists — John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis — for their groundbreaking contributions in advancing the understanding of quantum phenomena in macroscopic systems. Their research has opened new pathways for the development of quantum technologies, including quantum computers, ultra-sensitive sensors, and communication systems based on quantum principles.

Quantum mechanics has traditionally been associated with the microscopic world — subatomic particles such as electrons and photons. However, the work of these three laureates proved that quantum laws can also be observed in macroscopic systems, such as electrical circuits visible to the naked eye. They employed superconducting Josephson junctions, components that allow electric current to pass through a thin insulating layer via the quantum tunnelling phenomenon.

Their early experiments in the 1980s demonstrated that current in a superconducting circuit does not flow continuously as it does in ordinary conductors, but instead moves according to quantized energy levels. This discovery confirmed that the principles of energy quantization and quantum tunnelling can occur on a scale much larger than a single atom. It represented a paradigm shift in physics, directly bridging the classical and quantum worlds.

Beyond its theoretical significance, this discovery carries major practical implications. Technologies such as quantum computing rely on the ability to control and manipulate quantum states in physical systems. Their research laid the foundation for the development of the qubit, the fundamental unit of quantum information. With stable control of qubits, scientists are now able to build computing systems capable of solving complex problems with efficiency far beyond that of conventional computers.

John Clarke, from the University of California, Berkeley, is renowned for his contributions to the development of SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) — the most sensitive magnetic detector in the world. Michel Devoret, currently at Yale University, played a crucial role in linking theory and experiment to understand superconducting quantum circuits. Meanwhile, John Martinis of the University of California, Santa Barbara, pioneered the use of such circuits in building large-scale quantum computers, including his early collaboration with Google Quantum AI.

The Nobel Committee stated that this year’s award recognizes “discoveries demonstrating that quantum phenomena can be observed and controlled in macroscopic systems.” This not only reaffirms the validity of quantum theory, which has stood for over a century, but also proves that these concepts can be practically applied to future technologies.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics marks a major milestone in bridging the quantum and classical worlds. It reminds us that the universe’s most subtle laws are not merely abstract theories confined to laboratories, but the very foundation of technological innovations that will reshape how humanity interacts with both the digital and physical realms.

Date of Input: 13/10/2025 | Updated: 13/10/2025 | saifulasmal