TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Composition: The semiconducting conjugated polymer has 5-99, preferably 90 wt.% semiconductor nanocrystals embedded in the polymer. The semiconducting conjugated polymer is transpolyacetylenes, polypyrroles, polythiophenes, polyanilines, poly(p-phenylene)s or poly(p-phenylene-vinylene)s, polyfluorenes, polyaromatic amines, poly(thienylene-vinylene)s or their soluble derivatives. The conjugated polymer is (poly(2-methoxy 5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)p-phenylenevinylene) or poly(3-hexylthiopene) (P3HT). A hole injecting layer of the photovoltaic device comprises (poly(ethylene-dioxy)thiophene:poly(styrene sulfonic acid)).Preferred Property: The film has a thickness of 100-350, preferably 200 nm.Preferred Condition: The deposited thin film is heated at 60-200, preferably 120 degreesC.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The semiconductor nanocrystals comprise rods having a length of more than 20, preferably 60-110 nm. They also comprise a semiconductor from Group II-VI, Group III-V, Group IV semiconductors or tertiary chalcopyrites. They are preferably cadmium-selenium (CdSe), Cd-tellurium (Te), indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), copper-In sulfide (CuInS2), CuInSe2, aluminum GaAs, InGaAs, germanium or silicon. The branched nanocrystals are CdSe or CdTe and are embedded at 90 wt.%. The photovoltaic device has a first electrode of indium-tin oxide and a second electrode of aluminum.Preferred Property: A portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals have an aspect ratio of more than 5, preferably 2-10. A portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals are branched nanocrystals, preferably having 4 arms and a tetrahedral symmetry.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The binary solvent mixture (1-15, preferably 8 vol.%) comprises pyridine, chloroform, tolulene, xylenes, hexanes, water, dichlorobenzene, methylene chloride, alkylamine, where the alkyl chain may be optionally branched and is 2-20C butanol, methanol or isopropanol. It also comprises pyridine in chloroform.