TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Component: The nanocrystals are monodisperse dots, rods, or branched shapes.Preferred Properties: The full width at half maximum of the photoluminescence emission line of the nanocrystals is 18-25 (preferably 22-24) nm. The average size of the nanocrystals is 1-6 (preferably 4-5) nm. The mean diameter of the nanocrystals is 1-6 nm.Preferred Method: The anion precursor is combined with the non-coordinating solvent and/or the ligand prior to mixing the cation-ligand complex. The nanocrystals of cadmium sulfide, cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, zinc selenide, indium phosphide or indium arsenide are formed.Preferred Parameter: The temperature is greater than 200 degrees C.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The cation precursor comprises a compound of a group II metal, a group III metal, a group IV metal, or a transition metal. It is a cadmium oxide. The group II metal is zinc, cadmium, or mercury. The group III metal is aluminum, gallium, or indium. The group IV metal is germanium, tin, or lead. The anion precursor is elemental sulfur (preferably), elemental selenium, or elemental tellurium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The cation precursor comprises a metal oxide, a metal carbonate, a metal bicarbonate, a metal sulfate, a metal sulfite, a metal phosphate, a metal phosphite, a metal halide, a metal carboxylate, a metal alkoxide, a metal thiolate, a metal amide, a metal imide, a metal alkyl, a metal aryl, a metal coordination complex, a metal solvate, or a metal salt. It is zinc(acetate)2 or indium(acetate)3. The ligand is a fatty acid, an amine, a phosphine, a phosphine oxide, and/or a phosphoric acid. It is preferably oleic acid, myristic acid, or palmitic acid. The fatty acid is decanoic acid, oleic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, or stearic acid. The non-coordinating solvent is octadecene (ODE). The anion precursor is preferably selenium tributylphosphine or tellurium tributylphosphine, P(SiMe3)3 (sic), or As(SiMe3)3 (sic).Preferred Property: The non-coordinating solvent has a melting point less than 25 degrees C, and a boiling point greater than 250 degrees C. EXAMPLE - A mixture of cadmium oxide (0.0128 g), oleic acid (0.4237 g) and technical grade ODE (3.5635 g) was prepared and heated. This mixture became optically clear at around 200 degrees C, and was further heated up to 300 degrees C and maintained at this temperature for the injection of sulfur solution. A sulfur solution was prepared by dissolving elemental sulfur (0.0016 g) in 2 g technical grade ODE. The reparation of the sulfur solution often required heating up the sulfur/Tech ODE mixture to 100 degrees C, allowing the sulfur powder to completely dissolve, and then cooling the solution to room temperature. The resulting, optically clear solution was stable at room temperature and ready for the injection. This sulfur solution was then swiftly injected into the hot, cadmium-containing solution with stirring, after which the reaction mixture was allowed to cool to 250 degrees C for 0.5 hours, to allow the growth of the cadmium sulfide nanocrystals. The synthesis can be done either under argon or open to air.