Macroscopic Quantum Effects and the Dawn of Quantum Engineering
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: General Science (Physics - Quantum Mechanics, Superconductivity); Science and Technology (Quantum Computing, Qubits); Current Events of National and International Importance (Nobel Prizes).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (S&T): Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of Quantum Technology.
Key Highlights from the News
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists: John Clarke, Michael Devoret, and John Martinis.
They experimentally demonstrated that the strange laws of Quantum Mechanics can be observed not only in microscopic particles, but also in large electrical circuits visible to the naked eye (macroscopic electrical circuit).
Their experiment was based on the Josephson Effect, predicted by the British scientist Brian Josephson.
In a circuit where two superconductors are separated by a Josephson junction, they experimentally confirmed the theoretical predictions of another scientist, Anthony Leggett.
Main Discoveries: Macroscopic Quantum Tunnelling and Energy Quantisation.
These discoveries paved the way for superconducting qubits, the fundamental components of modern quantum computers.
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