Robust circular polarization of indirect Q-K transitions in bilayer 3R-W S2

openaire: EC/H2020/820423/EU//S2QUIP Valley-contrasting Berry curvature and orbital magnetic moment have led to highly selective circular polarization of direct excitons at the K valleys in transition-metal dichalcogenides. In addition to K valleys, Q valleys, another critical point in the conduction band, also possess well-defined but distinct magnetic moment. Being akin to the direct excitons at K valleys, indirect excitons associated with Q (K) valleys in the conduction (valence) band could allow circular polarization in principle. Here, we report an experimental observation of the circular polarization of indirect Q-K transitions in noncentrosymmetric bilayer 3R-WS2. In stark contrast to the circular polarization of direct excitons which depolarizes with increasing lattice temperature, the circular polarization of indirect Q-K excitons is extremely robust and independent on the temperature. Such robust circular polarization can be understood as follows: The spin-orbit coupling in the Q valley is much stronger than that in the K point of the conduction band, significantly suppressing the temperature induced valley depolarization. Our results open up opportunities for exotic valleytronics and quantum information processing applications.