John Clarke (physicist) facts for kids

John Clarke FRS is a famous British physicist born on February 10, 1942. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. This means he is a retired professor who still holds an honored title.

In 2025, Professor Clarke, along with John M. Martinis and Michel Devoret, received the Nobel Prize in Physics. They were honored for their amazing discoveries about how tiny quantum effects can be seen in larger objects, especially in superconductors. Their work helped us understand the quantum world better.

Who is John Clarke?

John Clarke was born in Cambridge, England, on February 10, 1942. He went to The Perse School and then studied Natural Sciences at Christ's College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in Physics in 1964.

Early Life and Education

After his first degree, John Clarke continued his studies at the University of Cambridge. He worked towards a PhD in physics. A PhD is a very advanced degree that shows someone is an expert in their field.

In 1965, he joined the new Darwin College, Cambridge. He was even the first president of its student association. For his PhD, he invented a super sensitive voltmeter. He called it SLUG, which stood for "Superconducting Low-inductance Undulatory Galvanometer." He finished his PhD in 1968.

After getting his PhD, Dr. Clarke moved to the United States. He joined the University of California, Berkeley. He spent his entire career there, becoming a full professor of physics in 1973.

Discovering Superconductivity

Professor Clarke's main research focused on superconductivity. This is a special state where certain materials can conduct electricity with zero resistance. Imagine electricity flowing without any energy loss! He also worked on superconducting quantum interference devices, or SQUIDs.

What are SQUIDs?

SQUIDs are incredibly sensitive tools. They can detect tiny changes in magnetic flux. Think of them as super-powered magnets that can measure the smallest magnetic fields. Scientists use SQUIDs for many things. They help us understand the brain and even search for mysterious particles in space.

Quantum Leaps in Computing

In 1985, Professor Clarke worked with his student, John M. Martinis, and researcher Michel Devoret. They showed how a Josephson junction behaves in a quantum way. A Josephson junction is a special connection between two superconductors.

This discovery was very important. It became a key idea for superconducting quantum computing. Quantum computers are a new type of computer. They use the strange rules of quantum mechanics to solve problems. These problems are too hard for regular computers.

Professor Clarke also used SQUIDs to look for something called the axion. Scientists believe axions might be a part of dark matter. Dark matter is a mysterious substance that makes up a big part of our universe. We can't see it, but we know it's there because of its gravity.

Awards and Recognition

John Clarke has received many important awards for his work. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1986. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.

He also received the Comstock Prize in Physics in 1999. In 2004, he was awarded the Hughes Medal. In 2021, he shared the Micius Quantum Prize with Michel Devoret and Yasunobu Nakamura.

Most notably, Professor Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John M. Martinis received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. They were recognized for their groundbreaking work. Their discoveries showed how quantum mechanics can be seen in electrical circuits. This includes quantum tunneling and energy levels in these circuits.

See also

In Spanish: John Clarke para niños