Yale Professor Michel H. Devoret Wins Nobel Prize for Quantum Mechanics Breakthroughs

Published: 2025-10-13 Category: Quantum News

Yale Professor Michel H. Devoret Wins Nobel Prize for Quantum Mechanics Breakthroughs

Synopsis:

Michel H. Devoret wins Nobel Prize in Physics for proving quantum effects in electric circuits
Prize shared with John Clarke and John M. Martinis for 1980s experiments at UC Berkeley
Research revealed macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization using superconducting circuits
Devoret co-developed circuit QED and the transmon qubit, core of modern quantum computing
Yale built a world-leading quantum program with Devoret, Girvin, and Schoelkopf
Work now powers Google, IBM, Amazon, and global quantum “gold rush”
Devoret currently serves as chief scientist for Google Quantum AI and professor at UC Santa Barbara
Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins

Michel H. Devoret, the Frederick W. Beinecke Professor Emeritus of Applied Physics at Yale University and one of the world’s foremost quantum scientists, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering research in quantum mechanics and quantum computing. He shares the prize with John Clarke of the University of California–Berkeley and John M. Martinis of the University of California–Santa Barbara.

The Nobel committee recognized the trio “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit,” groundbreaking work conducted in the 1980s at UC Berkeley when Devoret was a postdoctoral fellow and Martinis was a graduate student in Clarke’s lab. Their experiments proved that electrical circuits large enough to see with the naked eye could still behave according to the laws of quantum mechanics, revealing phenomena such as quantum tunneling and discrete energy levels on a macroscopic scale.

According to the Nobel press release, the three laureates will share 11 million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.1 million. Yale President Maurie McInnis praised Devoret as a trailblazer whose discoveries may impact every person on the planet, noting that his research helped launch a revolution in quantum mechanics. Yale Vice Provost for Research Michael Crair said Devoret’s work embodies the spirit of scientific discovery and has inspired generations of young scientists. Applied Physics chair Sohrab Ismail-Beigi emphasized that the team not only answered fundamental science questions but also created experimental methods that shaped the future of the field.

Devoret, now 72, is a founding member of the Yale Quantum Institute (YQI) and a key architect of Yale’s rise as a global leader in quantum science and technology. Alongside Yale colleagues Steven Girvin and Robert Schoelkopf, he developed circuit quantum electrodynamics (circuit QED), an approach that uses particles of microwave light in superconducting resonators to control quantum information. This work led to the design of artificial atoms, or qubits, and set the foundation for today’s quantum computers. In 2002, the Yale team introduced the transmon qubit, a superconducting qubit with reduced sensitivity to charge noise. The transmon became the most widely used qubit design in the industry and remains central to the quantum platforms built by Google, IBM, and Amazon.

Devoret’s impact extended beyond theory and devices. He helped establish YQI in 2014 to provide infrastructure for quantum research at Yale, opening labs to undergraduate and graduate students and fostering a collaborative environment. Physics department chair Sarah Demers recalled the excitement of students eager to work with Devoret and Schoelkopf on cutting-edge experiments. Jeffrey Brock, dean of Yale Engineering, said Devoret joined with the vision of making Yale a beacon for the science of quantum information, creating a place where researchers could find the tools needed as the field evolved. Provost Scott Strobel said Devoret’s discoveries leave an enduring legacy in quantum science and beyond.

Before joining Yale, Devoret earned degrees from the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications in Paris and the University of Paris-Sud. At UC Berkeley, he contributed to the earliest design of artificial atoms in Clarke’s lab. He later led a research group at the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (CEA) in Saclay, working with Daniel Esteve and Cristian Urbina on quantum electronics and qubits. He spent a sabbatical at Yale in 1999 and officially joined the faculty in 2002. At Yale, he held a full professorship in applied physics with a secondary appointment in the Department of Physics. He remained on the full-time ladder faculty until mid-2024, when he became professor emeritus and research professor.

Devoret and his Yale colleagues achieved numerous breakthroughs: creating the first solid-state quantum processor, discovering a form of quantum “friction” that could improve memory storage, building the first quantum system to exceed the “break-even” point in qubit preservation, predicting quantum jumps, and engineering a device that merged Schrödinger’s cat superposition with advanced quantum error correction. These achievements helped drive the modern quantum computing era. Stone, former chair of applied physics and deputy director of YQI, said Devoret, Girvin, and Schoelkopf pioneered technology now used by Google, IBM and Amazon. He added that much of the 2025 quantum technology “gold rush” can be traced to their foundational research.

Today, Devoret serves as chief scientist for quantum hardware at Google Quantum AI and is also on the faculty of UC Santa Barbara. Martinis previously worked at Google before founding the quantum computing startup Qolab in 2022. Their ongoing work continues to influence the global race for quantum advantage. Stone noted that quantum technology goes beyond traditional transistors and fiber optics, with the potential to transform computing, sensing, defense, and GPS. The United Nations has designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, reflecting the worldwide importance of this field.

Devoret has received numerous honors, including the Micius Quantum Prize, Bell Prize, Fritz London Memorial Prize, Ampere Prize of the French Academy of Science, Descartes-Huygens Prize of the Royal Academy of Science of the Netherlands, Comstock Prize in Physics, and the Europhysics-Agilent Prize of the European Physical Society. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences. Known not only as a researcher but also as an educator, Devoret co-taught “Cinema and Physics: When the Birth of Cinema and the Scientific Revolution Met,” exploring connections between art, science, and technology. President McInnis said Devoret blends impressive scientific work with humanistic thought and quoted him saying, “You do the best work that you can. The results of that work have to be true, novel, and meaningful.” His was — and Yale celebrates his Nobel Prize.

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About Yale and Professor Michel Devoret

Yale University is one of the world’s leading research institutions, recognized for advancing science, technology and innovation across disciplines. Within Yale, the Applied Physics Department and the Yale Quantum Institute have become global centers of excellence in quantum research, developing foundational technologies that power modern quantum computing. Professor Michel Devoret, a professor emeritus of applied physics, has been a driving force behind this progress.

His groundbreaking experiments demonstrated quantum phenomena at a visible scale, challenging long-held assumptions and opening the door to practical quantum devices. Devoret helped establish Yale as a pioneer in superconducting circuits and qubits, working closely with colleagues such as Steven Girvin and Robert Schoelkopf. Their research became the technological basis used by major companies like Google, IBM and Amazon. In addition to his scientific contributions, Devoret has mentored generations of students and continues to shape the field as chief scientist for quantum hardware at Google Quantum AI.

Featured image Source: Yale

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