Macroscopic Quantum Effects and the Dawn of Quantum Engineering
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: General Science (Physics - Quantum Mechanics, Superconductivity, Absolute Zero); 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; Achievements of Indians in science & technology (understanding the global context is key for India's own missions like the National Mission on Quantum Technologies).
Key Highlights from the News
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists: John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis.
They experimentally proved that the strange laws of Quantum Mechanics are evident not only in microscopic particles like atoms but also in macroscopic electrical circuits visible to the naked eye.
They conducted this experiment by separating two superconductors using a Josephson junction.
Their main discoveries:
Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling: They observed the collective behavior of billions of electrons in the circuit "tunneling" through an energy barrier.
Energy Quantization: They also proved that this circuit, like a quantum particle, can only have certain specific, discrete energy levels, instead of continuous energy states.
Main practical relevance of this discovery: This paved the way for superconducting qubits, which are the fundamental building blocks of modern quantum computers.
It also laid the foundation for other advanced technologies like quantum amplifiers and quantum simulators.
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