Indium tin oxide films meet circular Rydberg atoms: Prospects for novel quantum simulation schemes

Abstract

The authors propose a new approach to stabilize circular Rydberg states against spontaneous and blackbody-induced decay using a capacitor made from indium tin oxide thin films, which combine reflection of microwaves with transparency in the visible spectral range. Measurements of the films' response to GHz and THz radiation form the basis to identify conditions that allow for reaching circular-state lifetimes up to tens of milliseconds at room temperature.