One hundred years after the formulation of the Schrödinger equation, a cornerstone of quantum physics, the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes groundbreaking work expanding our understanding of the quantum realm. Michel Devoret, along wiht collaborators John Clark and John Martinis, demonstrated that quantum phenomena-previously thought limited too the atomic scale-can be observed in increasingly larger systems. Their experiments, conducted with electronic circuits, confirm the reality of “quantum tunneling,” a process where particles bypass seemingly insurmountable barriers, and pave the way for advancements in quantum computing and materials science.
A pivotal equation that underpins quantum physics emerged from an unexpected source: a passionate personal encounter. In December 1925, Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger rekindled a relationship with a former lover. The pair traveled to Arosa, a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, where they remained until January 9, 1926. On December 27th, Schrödinger wrote to a colleague, Willy Wien, expressing his struggle with a new atomic theory. “I am currently battling a new theory of the atom. It’s a shame I don’t know more mathematics! But I am rather optimistic: if I overcome this theory, it will be very beautiful,” he noted. Days later, he confided in another friend, Hermann Weyl, that it was following “a rapid, late erotic episode” that he finally discovered the equation governing the behavior of electrons within atoms – the now-famous Schrödinger equation. Its publication would mark the birth of what is now a century-old field of physics.
Exactly one century later, in 2025, Michel Devoret and colleagues John Clark and John Martinis were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Their work, conducted in the mid-1980s, demonstrated that quantum phenomena aren’t limited to minuscule objects like atoms or elementary particles. They proved these effects could manifest at near-macroscopic scales, becoming visible within sophisticated electronic circuits. The researchers successfully sent packets of billions of electrons through potential barriers that would be insurmountable under classical physics. This phenomenon is known as “quantum tunneling.” To illustrate, while a cyclist must exert energy to climb a hill, quantum particles can seemingly pass *through* mountains without expending any energy. They have a non-zero probability of appearing on the other side, as if the mountain contained a tunnel. In the quantum world, absolute barriers don’t exist; particles appear to “jump” across space, bypassing intermediate positions.
Devoret and his collaborators showed that this tunneling effect could be observed even with a large number of particles, a concept debated in the 1970s. They designed electronic circuits that behaved like “artificial atoms,” significantly larger than real atoms, making quantum properties observable at a larger scale. This breakthrough expands the possibilities for manipulating quantum states and has implications for the development of advanced technologies.
In essence, they extended Schrödinger’s findings, bridging the microscopic and macroscopic worlds with a similarly impactful and rapid discovery. This work underscores the enduring relevance of quantum mechanics and its potential to revolutionize fields like computing and materials science.
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