A UC Berkeley professor has been awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his work in quantum mechanics.

John Clarke, emeritus professor of physics at the university, was among a trio of winners -- the two others were Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, both from UC Santa Barbara.

Martinis also is a former professor at Berkeley.

The three experimented with quantum tunneling and discovered that using superconducting circuits lets particles pass through barriers on a macroscopic scale, even when it was seemingly impossible.

The work paved the way for new technologies like quantum computers and sensors.

Clarke told the campus media outlet Berkeley News that the Nobel award was "surprise of my life."

The three co-winners share more than $1 million prize, according to the Nobel Foundati

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