Three American Scientists Win Nobel Prize in Physics 2025

The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2025 has been awarded to three American scientists — John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis. The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday.

Award-Winning Discovery: Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling

The award recognizes their pioneering work in demonstrating macroscopic quantum tunneling and discovering energy levels in electric circuits. Their research proves that quantum effects, typically observed at atomic and subatomic levels, can also be observed at a human scale in electrical systems.

What is Quantum Tunneling?

Quantum tunneling is a phenomenon where a particle passes through a barrier instead of bouncing back — something considered impossible under classical physics. In everyday life, a ball bounces back after hitting a wall. But in quantum mechanics, particles can sometimes tunnel through the wall and appear on the other side.

Breakthrough Experiment

In 1984 and 1985, at the University of California, the scientists created an electrical circuit using two superconductors separated by a thin insulating layer. Despite the barrier, all the charged particles in the circuit behaved as if they were a single quantum particle and tunneled through the layer.

This was direct proof of quantum tunneling on a macroscopic level. The experiment opened new understanding on how quantum effects behave in larger systems and how they can be controlled.

Impact on Future Technology

This discovery is a major milestone for the future of quantum computing and emerging technologies. Quantum technology has potential applications in semiconductors, advanced computing, microchips, and will significantly benefit medicine, space science, and defense.