Frenchman Michel Devoret, British John Clarke and American John Martinis were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Nobel committee announced at a press conference Tuesday.
The committee said the three physicists were recognized for experiments in quantum mechanics in the 1980s that showed how atomic particles can move through a barrier that previously seemed impenetrable. The effect occurs only with very small numbers of those particles.
Prize, reaction and applications
According to the judges, the discoveries “provide opportunities to develop the next generation of quantum technology.” That includes quantum computers, which can compute much faster than regular computers.
Devoret, Clarke and Martinis share a prize sum of about 1 million euros (11 million Swedish kronor). They will also receive a medal and diploma. The presentation of the Nobel prizes is on Dec. 10.
Clarke called in by phone Tuesday morning to the press conference where the winners were announced. “I am completely flabbergasted,” the physicist said. “It never occurred to me that this could lead to the Nobel Prize.”
Clarke added: “I’m speaking to you now via cell phone, and one of the underlying reasons a cell phone works is because of this research.”
The Nobel committee noted that a winner from each prize category will be announced each day this week.
