Greek-American Physicist John M. Martinis Wins Nobel Prize

Greek-American physicist John M. Martinis has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics, alongside John Clarke and Michel H. Devoret, for their pioneering discovery of macroscopic tunneling and energy quantization in an electrical circuit. Their groundbreaking work demonstrated quantum behavior in a system large enough to fit in the palm of a hand—a milestone that laid the foundation for quantum computing.

Early Collaborations that Sparked a Revolution

Born in 1958, Martinis pursued his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, under John Clarke—now his co-laureate. There, he explored quantum phenomena in Josephson junctions, collaborating with both Clarke and Devoret. In 1985, the trio published landmark research on microwave pulses and quantum behavior, setting the stage for superconducting quantum technologies.

A Career of Innovation

After postdoctoral work in France and at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Martinis advanced superconducting sensors and X-ray detection techniques. In 2004, he joined the University of California, Santa Barbara, where his team became a global leader in quantum circuits.