The Prize has been awarded to US scientists: John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis.
Background
- A major question in physics is the maximum size of a system that can demonstrate quantum properties.
- For long time, this size was limited to atomic and sub-atomic levels only.
- However, these scientists, in their research 40 years ago, have demonstrated that quantum mechanics can be seen at macroscopic levels. This system is big enough to be held in the hand.
- They used quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation to show this behaviour.
About Experiment and Research
- Quantum mechanics permits a particle to pass directly through a barrier via a process known as quantum tunnelling.
- In other words, Quantum tunnelling is the ability of particles to pass through physical walls (refer infographics).
- Earlier, such unique behaviour was observed at the microscopic level.
- But these scientists showed that it was possible to exhibit quantum tunnelling properties at macroscopic levels.
- They used an electric circuit with two superconducting components that were separated by a thin layer of non-conductive material.
- This setup is known as a Josephson junction.
- The system became quantised (meaning it can absorb or emit only discrete amounts of energy), as predicted by quantum mechanics.
- They used an electric circuit with two superconducting components that were separated by a thin layer of non-conductive material.
- Significance
- For developing quantum computers, quantum sensors and next gen transistors in computer microchips.
Quantum Mechanics
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