I’m completely stunned. Of course it had never occurred to me in any way that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize.
John Clarke
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 is a landmark achievement in quantum science. It awarded three pioneers who proved that quantum behaviour can occur at the macroscopic scale. John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis were awarded the Nobel Prize for demonstrating quantum mechanical tunnelling in a superconducting circuit.¹ This showed that quantum principles extend beyond atoms and particles. Here, we'll look at their Nobel Prize and what it means.
The Laureates and Their Contributions
The 2025 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to the physicists whose collaborative experiments rewrote our understanding of quantum mechanics in engineered systems. Their work stands as a rare example of quantum phenomena observed clearly at a human scale.
John Clarke
John Clarke is one of the founders of modern superconducting electronics.³ His career spans decades at UC Berkeley, where his expertise in ultra-sensitive quantum measurement has made his laboratory the ideal environment for exploring the limits of quantum behaviour. His leadership and experimental insight helped shape the work that earned the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Michel H. Devoret
Michel Devoret has long been recognised for his groundbreaking work in quantum electronics⁴, particularly in the design of superconducting devices that bridge theory and experiment. His early tunnelling experiments translated abstract quantum predictions into practical measurements. His later contributions to qubit design show how his early work influenced the trajectory of quantum information science.
John M. Martinis
John M. Martinis has been one of the driving forces behind the development of the experimental quantum computer.⁵ His early work on macroscopic tunnelling showed how to detect and interpret fragile quantum signals within engineered circuits. Later, he applied expertise to build some of the world's most advanced superconducting qubits, linking the original discovery to contemporary quantum technologies.
The 2025 Nobel laureates John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis are leading figures in the development of superconducting quantum circuits. Their collaborative work produced the first clear demonstration of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling in an engineered device. This discovery links quantum physics with practical quantum engineering, marking a significant turning point in the global race to build scalable quantum technologies.
Understanding Macroscopic Quantum Mechanical Tunnelling
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for macroscopic quantum-mechanical tunnelling. This was a significant turning point in how physics understands quantum behaviour. Tunnelling was thought to only occur in microscopic systems like electrons and photons, but this discovery showed that even larger devices can behave as a unified quantum object.
Fundamentals of Quantum Tunnelling
Quantum tunnelling is how a quantum system can pass through an energy barrier it doesn't have enough energy to cross classically. In microscopic systems, tunnelling happens constantly inside atoms, in nuclear reactions, and in semiconductor devices. Knowing this, we can begin to appreciate how extraordinary it is to see this occur in a human-made macroscopic circuit.
The 2025 Nobel-winning experiment showed that a superconducting circuit can behave as a single macroscopic quantum object¹ rather than a collection of independent particles. By directly observing tunnelling in a large-scale system, the research team challenged the traditional boundary between classical and quantum behaviour. The results confirm that quantum effects can be engineered, controlled, and measured far beyond the microscopic world.
The Experiment and Its Findings
The Nobel-winning experiment involved a superconducting electric circuit that was engineered to mimic the conditions of a quantum particle trapped in a well. By cooling the device to extremely low temperatures, the researchers created a system that behaved as a single, coherent quantum entity. The measurements showed evidence of tunnelling and discrete energy levels; quantum signatures were observed on a scale visible to the naked eye.
Impact on Quantum Technology
The 2025 Nobel Prize discovery has far-reaching implications across the entire quantum technology landscape.⁶ The proof that a macroscopic circuit can display quantum behaviour provides a blueprint for stable, scalable, and controllable quantum systems. This bridges the gap between fundamental physics and real-world technology, advancing quantum computing, secure communication, and ultra-sensitive measurement tools.
Advancements in Quantum Computing
Quantum computing uses systems that can maintain fragile quantum states long enough to perform computations. The laureates' work showed that superconducting circuits can act as coherent quantum objects, inspiring the superconducting qubit designs used today. Understanding macroscopic quantum tunelling has improved qubit architectures, coherence times, and error-correction strategies.
Quantum Cryptography and Sensors
Quantum cryptography devices have to reliably produce, manipulate, and detect quantum states. The macroscopic tunnelling behaviour can be utilised for designing secure communication protocols and precision sensors based on superconducting technologies. These developments allow for better quantum key distribution.
Future Prospects in Quantum Research
The 2025 Nobel Prize highlights what lies ahead for quantum physics. With researchers gaining a better understanding of macroscopic quantum behaviour, questions arise about how far quantum effects can extend into our everyday world. It's a stepping stone towards technologies that we can only dream of today and recent trends have also awarded the Nobel Prize to more women.
Ongoing Research and Challenges
With the success of macroscopic quantum tunnelling experiments, it's easy to get carried away, but there are still significant challenges. Maintaining quantum coherence at larger scales is difficult because of environmental noise, thermal effects, and material imperfections.
Potential Applications and Innovations
Macroscopic tunnelling can inspire future technologies. Physicists expect to make breakthroughs in ultra-precise measurement systems, new types of quantum processors, and advanced quantum communication networks. As engineering catches up with theory, these innovations look to transform industries from healthcare to national security to climate science.
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References
- Nobel Prize Outreach AB. “The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025.” NobelPrize.org. The Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2025/summary/
- Nobel Prize Outreach AB. “Press Release: Nobel Prize in Physics 2025.” NobelPrize.org. The Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2025/10/press-physicsprize2025-2.pdf
- Nobel Prize Outreach AB. “Popular Information: Nobel Prize in Physics 2025.” NobelPrize.org. The Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2025/popular-information/
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “How John Clarke’s Nobel Prize-Winning Research Paved the Way for Quantum Computing.” Elements (LBNL). https://elements.lbl.gov/news/how-nobel-prize-winning-research-paved-the-way-for-quantum-computing/
- Physics Today (AIP). “Superconducting Quantum Circuits at the Heart of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics.” Physics Today. https://physicstoday.aip.org/features/superconducting-quantum-circuits-at-the-heart-of-the-2025-nobel-prize-in-physics
- European Commission Research & Innovation. “EU-Funded Physicist Wins 2025 Nobel Prize.” https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/eu-funded-physicist-wins-2025-nobel-prize-2025-10-08_en
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