Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 for Quantum Research
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to the quantum researchers John Clarke (United Kingdom), Michel H. Devoret (France), and John M. Martinis (USA).
Quantum mechanics describes how particles can pass through a physical barrier – a phenomenon known as quantum tunnelling. However, when a large number of particles are involved, quantum effects are usually negligible. The laureates’ experiments demonstrated that these effects can also be observed on a macroscopic scale. In an electrical circuit, they were able to show both quantum tunnelling and quantised energy levels in a system large enough to be held in the hand.
“It was the first time that this quantum tunnelling effect was successfully reproduced in a self-built circuit,” says Patrick Maletinsky, quantum physicist at the University of Basel and member of the Swiss Quantum Commission.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has provided opportunities for developing the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors.