Patent ID: 7632428

Claim:
A method of synthesizing doped nanocrystals, comprising the steps of: a. combining a zinc oxide or zinc or metal salt precursor, a ligand, and a solvent to form a metal complex in a reaction vessel; b. admixing an selenium precursor with the metal complex at a first temperature, T 1 , sufficient to form a plurality of host nanocrystals; c. doping a metal dopant onto the plurality of the host nanocrystals at a second temperature, T 2 , such that a layer of the metal dopant is formed substantially over the surface of a host nanocrystal that receives the metal dopant; and d. adding a solution mixture having the selenium precursor and the zinc oxide or zinc salt precursor at a third temperature, T 3 , into the reaction vessel to allow regrowth of host nanocrystals on the surface of the layer of the metal dopant formed substantially over the surface of a host nanocrystal that receives a metal dopant to form a plurality of doped nanocrystals.