The 2012 Nobel Prize in physics and David Wineland

The 2012 Nobel prize in physics was awarded to David Wineland, together with Serge Haroche. David Wineland received the prize for ground-breaking experimental methods that enabled the measurement and manipulation of individual quantum systems, especially systems with trapped ions. He improved a trapped ion system and opened a new quantum world leading to quantum computation. He also realized optical atomic ion clocks with unprecedented precision through his experimental research. This article briefly reviews the history of trapped ion systems, the development of trapped-ion based quantum computation, and the development of the atomic ion clock, which are closely related toWineland’s achievements.