Michel Devoret facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michel Devoret
Devoret in 2017
Born	Michel Henri Devoret 1953 (age 71–72) Paris, France
Education	Télécom Paris (Eng) University of Orsay (DEA, PhD)
Awards	John Bell Prize (2013) Micius Quantum Prize (2021) Nobel Prize in Physics (2025)
Scientific career
Fields	Condensed matter physics
Institutions	Collège de France Yale University University of California, Santa Barbara
Thesis	Mise en évidence d'un ordre orientationnel de type vitreux dans l'hydrogène et le deutérium solides (1982)

Michel Henri Devoret, born in 1953, is a brilliant French physicist. He is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a respected professor emeritus at Yale University. He also works as the Chief Scientist for Quantum Hardware at Google Quantum AI. Dr. Devoret is famous for his groundbreaking research into how tiny quantum rules can affect larger objects.

In 2025, he shared the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physics. He received this award with John Clarke and John M. Martinis. They were honored for their teamwork in understanding macroscopic quantum phenomena in special materials called superconductors.

Michel Devoret's Early Life and Education

Michel Devoret was born in Paris, France, in 1953. He loved learning about science from a young age.

In 1975, he finished his studies to become a telecommunications engineer in Paris. Later, he earned a special diploma in quantum optics. This field studies how light and matter interact at a very tiny level.

He then completed his PhD in 1982. His research focused on condensed matter physics. This area explores the physical properties of materials, like solids and liquids. He did this important work at CEA Saclay.

Exploring Quantum Worlds: Devoret's Career

After his PhD, Dr. Devoret moved to the University of California, Berkeley. From 1982 to 1984, he worked as a researcher with John Clarke.

First Steps in Quantum Discovery

In 1985, Dr. Devoret, along with John M. Martinis, made a big discovery. They showed, for the first time, how tiny quantum rules apply to a special electronic component. This component is called a Josephson junction. It's like a tiny switch that can carry electric current without resistance.

Building the Quantronics Group

Dr. Devoret later went back to France. There, he started a research team called the Quantronics group. He worked with Daniel Esteve and Cristian Urbina.

• This group studied how electrons move through tiny barriers.
• They also created a device called an "electron pump." This pump can move individual electrons very precisely.
• They directly observed the charge of "Cooper pairs." These are pairs of electrons that act together in superconductors.
• The team also developed a new kind of qubit, which they named "quantronium."

What is a Qubit?

A qubit is like a basic building block for quantum computing. Unlike regular computer bits that are either 0 or 1, a qubit can be 0, 1, or both at the same time! This allows quantum computers to solve very complex problems.

Teaching and Research at Universities

In 2002, Dr. Devoret became a professor at Yale University in the United States. He also held a special position at the Collège de France starting in 2007. He continued his important research and teaching at these famous institutions.

Awards and Recognitions for Michel Devoret

Dr. Devoret has received many important awards for his amazing work in physics. These awards celebrate his discoveries and contributions to science.

The John Bell Prize

In 2013, he shared the John Bell Prize with Robert J. Schoelkopf. They earned this award for their "pioneering experimental advances." This means they made big steps in linking together superconducting qubits and microwave photons. This work is very important for quantum information processing.

The Fritz London Memorial Prize

He also shared the Fritz London Memorial Prize in 2014. He received this with John M. Martinis and Robert J. Schoelkopf.

The Micius Quantum Prize

In 2021, Dr. Devoret, John Clarke, and Yasunobu Nakamura were jointly awarded the Micius Quantum Prize.

The Nobel Prize in Physics

The most famous award he received was the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2025. He shared this incredible honor with John Clarke and John Martinis. They were recognized for discovering "macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling" and "energy quantisation" in electric circuits.

• Macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling means that tiny quantum effects, usually seen only in very small particles, can also happen in larger objects.
• Energy quantisation means that energy in these circuits can only exist in specific, fixed amounts, like steps on a ladder, rather than a smooth ramp.

See also

In Spanish: Michel Devoret para niños