IQC congratulates the winners of the 2025 Nobel prize in Physics
Today, the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) celebrates the achievements of John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis who have received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Their experiments showed that quantum mechanical properties can be made concrete on a macroscopic electrical circuit. IQC faculty Matteo Mariantoni, Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Christopher Wilson, Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, both completed their postdoctoral fellowships under Martinis and Devoret, respectively. Mariantoni’s master’s thesis was a shared project with Clarke.
The Nobel laureates’ work underpins quantum computing and sensing research at IQC, like building qubits and other quantum devices out of superconducting materials using nanofabrication techniques.
“The Nobel prize for this work is greatly deserved. This was visionary and foundational work that is one of the deepest roots of superconducting quantum computing. John, Michel, and John have made many great contributions to the field since then, including mentoring many of the leaders in the field of each generation.”
-Christopher Wilson, IQC Faculty and Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mariantoni describes his time working with both Clarke and Martinis as intense learning experiences.
Clarke showed up in the lab late one evening and asked me to put together a dipstick to measure a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device amplifier and said: ‘I will be back in the morning at 8 a.m. to check the results!’ Needless to say, it took me a bit longer than a night to perform that measurement, but I learned a lot from those days with John in Sweden. Most importantly, I realized how little I knew then of experimental physics. It was truly inspiring.”
-Matteo Mariantoni, IQC Faculty and Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy.
As a houseguest at Martinis’ home in Santa Barbara for several weeks, Mariantoni recalls discussing physics from sunrise to sunset.
“The discussions about physics started before breakfast, continued during breakfast, while biking to the lab at the speed of light, throughout the day (of course), at dinner, and while watching Star Trek after dinner."