John Martinis: Quantum tunneling occurs across barriers 10 to 20 atoms thick
John Martinis · Nobel Prize in Physics Winner: The Quantum Leap That Changed Everything - John Martinis · Oct 27, 2025 · at 10:03
John Martinis, 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics, explains how quantum tunneling manifests in practical microelectronics and memory circuits.
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“This is seen in everyday devices. This is not, if you build very small memory circuit, you have to worry about Electrons tunneling and charge leaking off your capacitor. They have magnetic memories that depend on these tunnel junctions. So this is a very well-known phenomenon. If you make the, this barrier, this insulator, just the, you know, 10, 20 atoms thick, then that's thin enough for it to go through.”
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