Optical tailoring of carrier spin polarization in Ge/SiGe multiple quantum wells

The polarization of the direct gap emission from Ge/SiGe multiple quantum wells has been studied in the 4 K to 300 K temperature range, and in samples with different well thicknesses. Our results demonstrate that the polarization type and degree strongly depend on the excitation of electrons from the heavy hole and the light hole subbands, thus providing an effective degree of freedom to control the polarization of the direct interband emission. In addition, the analysis of the temperature dependence of the polarization degree highlights spin depolarization mechanisms. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4774316]