Overview
- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences cited demonstrations of quantum tunnelling at macroscopic scale and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.
- The 1984–1985 Josephson‑junction experiments used a hand‑sized superconducting chip showing state changes by tunnelling and discrete energy absorption and emission.
- The committee said the work enables next‑generation quantum technologies including computers, cryptography and high‑precision sensors.
- John Clarke of UC Berkeley, Michel H. Devoret of Yale and UC, and John M. Martinis of UC Santa Barbara will share 11 million Swedish kronor, with the award to be presented on December 10 in Stockholm.
- Clarke expressed surprise at the honor, calling the discovery “the basis of quantum computing” and saying he was “completely stunned.”