Phys. Rev. B 95, 235408 (2017)
We demonstrate long trion spin lifetimes in a WSe₂ monolayer of up to 150ns at 5K. Applying a transverse magnetic field in time-resolved Kerr-rotation measurements reveals a complex composition of the spin signal of up to four distinct components. The Kerr-rotation signal can be well described by a model which includes inhomogeneous spin dephasing and by setting the trion spin lifetimes to the measured excitonic recombination times extracted from time-resolved reflectivity measurements. We observe a continuous shift of the Kerr resonance with the probe energy, which can be explained by an adsorbate-induced, inhomogeneous potential landscape of the WSe₂ flake. A further indication of extrinsic effects on the spin dynamics is given by a change of both the trion spin lifetime and the distribution of g factors over laboratory time. Finally, we detect a Kerr-rotation signal from the trion's higher-energy triplet state when the lower-energy singlet state is optically pumped by circularly polarized light. We explain this by the formation of dark trion states, which are also responsible for the observed long trion spin lifetimes.