Patent ID: 7056471

Claim:
A nanocrystal consisting of a homogeneous ternary alloy having the composition selected from the group consisting of Zn x Cd 1-x Se and Zn x Cd 1-x S, obtainable by a process comprising i) forming a binary nanocrystal CdSe or CdS by heating a reaction mixture containing the element Cd in a form suitable for the generation of a nanocrystal to a suitable temperature T1, adding at this temperature the element Se or S in a form suitable for the generation of a nanocrystal, heating the reaction mixture for a sufficient period of time at a temperature suitable for forming said binary nanocrystal CdSe or CdS and then allowing the reaction mixture to cool, and ii) reheating the reaction mixture, without precipitating or isolating the formed binary nanocrystal CdSe or CdS, to a suitable temperature T2, adding to the reaction mixture at this temperature a sufficient quantity of the element Zn in a form suitable for the generation of a nanocrystal, then heating the reaction mixture for a sufficient period of time at a temperature suitable for forming said ternary nanocrystal Zn x Cd 1-x Se or Zn x Cd 1-x S and then allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, and isolating the ternary nanocrystal Zn x Cd 1-x Se or Zn x Cd 1-x S.