Imperial experts react to Physics Nobel Prize – a quantum technology milestone

The Nobel Prize in Physics honours breakthroughs in quantum mechanics, and Imperial experts celebrate its impact on advancing quantum technologies.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for their ground-breaking work in quantum mechanics, showing that quantum effects like macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation can occur in engineered electrical circuits.

Traditionally, quantum behaviours like these were believed to be limited to atomic and subatomic particles. The research conducted by these scientists in the 1980s challenged this idea, revealing that quantum behaviour could emerge in larger systems – large enough to be built and measured in a lab.

This year’s Nobel Prize recognises the pioneers who first showed us that even an electrical circuit can behave as a genuine quantum system Dr Malcolm Connolly Assistant Professor in Experimental Solid State Physics

This discovery was a turning point in quantum physics, showing that quantum mechanics could be used in practical tools and systems. This led to the development of technologies like superconducting qubits, tiny circuits that store and process quantum information. These systems are now the heart of efforts in building powerful quantum computers and other advanced quantum tools.

Imperial's own quantum researchers in the Physics Department have welcomed the announcement from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, acknowledging its significance and its deep connection to ongoing work across the university.

"This year’s Nobel Prize recognises the pioneers who first showed us that even an electrical circuit can behave as a genuine quantum system,” said Dr Malcolm Connolly, Assistant Professor in Experimental Solid State Physics in Imperial's Department of Physics:

"Their discoveries laid the foundation for today’s superconducting qubits, one of the leading platforms in the global race to build practical quantum computers."

Reflecting on the announcement, Dr Niladri Banerjee, Associate Professor in Experimental Solid State Physics in the Department of Physics, added:

"This year’s Nobel Prize highlights the link between the microscopic world and electrical circuits.

"These discoveries underpin the role of superconducting qubits in driving scalable quantum computing, and at Imperial, we’re building on this legacy by developing new superconducting materials and circuits for these applications."

Quantum innovations at Imperial

Dr Connolly’s and Dr Banerjee’s work is directly influenced by these discoveries. At Imperial, the integration of superconducting qubits and the work celebrated by the Nobel Prize serves as a foundation for their research.

Dr Banerjee and his team are working to understand superconducting hybrid systems, systems where interesting behaviours emerge when superconductors interact with different types of materials. By using Josephson junctions (structures made by placing a thin barrier between two superconductors) they explore new ways of building future quantum and information technologies.

Meanwhile, Dr Connolly leads efforts at the Quantum Science and Device Facility, where his team cools devices to extremely low temperatures to uncover quantum effects. His research focuses on making quantum technologies more practical by building on the laureates’ insights into tunnelling and energy quantisation to help build better AI hardware and develop new kinds of quantum sensors.

Together, their work shows how quantum mechanics can be used to develop new technologies, and highlights Imperial’s role in shaping the future of quantum research.

Broader reflections

Professor Oliver Buchmueller, in the Department of Physics, commented:

"[The prize]  marks the moment quantum mechanics leapt from the microscopic to the macroscopic world, revealing tunnelling and energy quantisation in engineered circuits and laying the foundation for today’s quantum technologies – including our work at Imperial to probe dark matter and gravity with quantum sensors."

Dr Jess Wade, in the Department of Materials, shared enthusiasm for the recognition during a landmark year:

"It’s super exciting to see tunnelling be recognised during the International Year for Quantum! This year’s Nobel celebrates the observation of quantum tunnelling at a macroscopic scale, a critical step to building useful technologies that harness quantum phenomena."

Professor Lesley Cohen, in the Department of Physics, added:

"This is wonderful news indeed, and very well deserved. The work that these three outstanding scientists first demonstrated relates to the power of quantum mechanic tunnelling, and its manifestation in superconductivity, where macroscopic quantum effects could be manifest and manipulated.

"Their work has laid the foundations for superconducting Qubits - one of the main hardware technologies for quantum technologies."

Main image credit: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Ralf-Uwe Limbach