Published: 6 October 2025NobelPrize.orgScience & Technology
Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 Awarded to Clarke, Devoret and Martinis for Macroscopic Quantum Tunnelling Discovery
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 was awarded jointly to John Clarke (UK/USA), Michel H. Devoret (France/USA) and John M. Martinis (USA) for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit. The announcement was made on October 7, 2025 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
John Clarke, born 1942 in Cambridge, UK, is Professor at University of California, Berkeley. Michel H. Devoret, born 1953 in Paris, France, is Professor at Yale University and Chief Scientist for Quantum Hardware at Google Quantum AI. John M. Martinis, born 1958, is Professor at University of California, Santa Barbara and CTO at Qolab.
The laureates demonstrated that quantum tunnelling and quantised energy levels — phenomena previously observed only in microscopic particles — can also occur in macroscopic electrical circuits large enough to be held in the hand. This groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern quantum computing technology. The prize amount was 11 million Swedish kronor, shared equally.
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Q: Examine the scientific importance of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis for demonstrating macroscopic quantum tunnelling and its implications for quantum computing.
Answer (50 words):
On October 7, 2025, the Royal Swedish Academy awarded the Nobel Physics Prize jointly to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for demonstrating macroscopic quantum tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit — phenomena earlier confined to microscopic particles. Their work laid the foundation for modern quantum computing.
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The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 was awarded for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling in which type of system?
Explanation · Correct answer BThe 2025 Nobel Physics Prize was awarded to Clarke, Devoret and Martinis for demonstrating macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in electrical circuits. They showed that quantum effects are not confined to microscopic particles but can occur in macroscopic electrical circuits large enough to be held in the hand.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics 2025?
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 was awarded to **John Clarke** (UK/USA), **Michel H. Devoret** (France/USA), and **John M. Martinis** (USA) for discovering **macroscopic quantum tunnelling** and **energy quantisation in an electric circuit** — laying the foundation for quantum computing.
What is macroscopic quantum tunnelling?
**Macroscopic quantum tunnelling** is the observation of quantum effects like tunnelling and quantised energy levels in large-scale electrical circuits, not just subatomic particles. Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis proved this in superconducting circuits, enabling quantum computing hardware.
What was the prize amount for the Nobel Prize in Physics 2025?
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 carried **11 million Swedish kronor**, shared equally among the three laureates. It was announced by the **Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences**.
How did Nobel Physics 2025 work enable quantum computers?
By demonstrating quantum tunnelling and energy quantisation in macroscopic superconducting circuits, the laureates enabled the design of **superconducting qubits** — the physical hardware used in today's quantum computers from Google and IBM.
What institution announces the Nobel Prize in Physics?
The **Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences** announces the Nobel Prize in Physics each year. The 2025 prize recognised Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis for foundational quantum computing contributions.
