Three U.S. scientists win 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for quantum chip breakthrough

Three scientists from the United States have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for groundbreaking experiments that showcased quantum physics in action using a chip. Their work has paved the way for advancements in quantum computers, quantum sensors and quantum cryptography.

The laureates John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis are affiliated with the University of California and Yale University. Their experiments demonstrated quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electrical circuit large enough to be held by hand. This discovery confirms that quantum effects can exist on a macroscopic scale.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the trio a prize of 11 million Swedish kronor. Experts hailed the achievement as a major step in the ongoing development of quantum technologies that could transform digital systems worldwide. This continues a tradition of physics breakthroughs shaping modern technology and deepening scientific understanding.