A Nobel-Winning Quantum Trinity
This year’s Physics Nobel recognizes a close-knit trio of scientists whose collaboration dates all the way back to 1984. Through a series of experiments, they were among the first to reveal that the “strange properties of the quantum world could manifest themselves in a system large enough to hold in your hand.” Yes, 40 years ago in a lab in Berkeley, John Clarke was the director, Michel Devoret was a postdoc, and John M. Martinis was working on his PhD. Together, they embarked on a quantum journey whose impact we’re only now starting to grasp.
A French Legacy of Scientific Excellence
Michel H. Devoret is the seventh French laureate to win the Physics Nobel since 2007, and the 18th since the prize’s inception. According to France’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research, his achievement “illustrates the excellence of French fundamental research.” The Ministry expressed their immense pride in seeing Devoret honored, adding:
“He will inspire many young people and encourage them to pursue scientific studies by enthusiastically sharing the major scientific results that have earned him this recognition today.”
This distinction continues “the remarkable line of French Nobel Prizes in the quantum field and highlights French excellence in this strategic discipline.”
From Paris-Saclay to Yale: The Journey of Michel H. Devoret
Devoret began his research career with a doctoral thesis at Paris-Sud University (now Paris-Saclay University), in the Solid State Physics Department at the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) site in Saclay. According to the CEA, this period “laid the groundwork for his internationally recognized expertise.”
After his doctoral work in France, Devoret crossed the Atlantic for a postdoc in John Clarke’s US lab, joining forces with John M. Martinis. It was there that the trio demonstrated what’s now celebrated as the “macroscopic quantum effect”—a feat that would sow the seeds for their Nobel Prize years later.
Devoret later returned to France, serving as a research director at the CEA for about fifteen years. In the early 2000s, he became a Professor at Yale University, where he continues his work today. As of 2007, he’s also a member of the French Academy of Sciences. Not bad for a humble thesis student from Saclay!
Martinis: Bridging California and France
But the French connections don’t stop with Devoret. John M. Martinis may be American, born in California, but a chunk of his postdoctoral studies also took place at CEA Paris-Saclay. That’s right—France can claim “bonus points” for contributing to Martinis’s scientific journey too!
Martinis received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1980, and his PhD in Physics (again at Berkeley) in 1987. During his doctoral studies (supervised by John Clarke), he collaborated with postdoc Michel H. Devoret—a partnership that would take him to Paris-Saclay for further research. After returning to the US, Martinis has spent the past two decades pushing the boundaries as he works toward building a quantum computer. Oui, you read that right—a Nobel connection, transatlantic style!
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics, as highlighted by the CEA, specifically acknowledges the trio’s pioneering demonstration of macroscopic quantum tunneling and the quantization of energy at the level of a superconducting quantum circuit. These breakthroughs underpin many of today’s advances in quantum computing based on such circuits. The award not only recognizes international teamwork but also the fertile Franco-American collaborations that continue to move science—literally—beyond imagination. Vive la science!
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
