TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: A pH control agent is added to the seed gel to inhibit formation of precipitates. The coating step is performed by spin coating or dip coating. The film is sintered at low firing temperature of less than 1000degreesC. The nanocrystalline grain size of nanocrystalline ceramic thin film is maintained at up to 1100degreesC. Preferred Components: The seed gel of metal oxide is a sol solution, colloidal suspension, or amorphous gel. The metal oxide is zirconia, ceria, yttrium-stabilized zirconia, nickel oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, strontium oxide, barium oxide, titanium dioxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, zinc oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, tin oxide, lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, samarium oxide, nitride, carbide, or mixed oxide. The source compound for cations is nitrate, chloride, or carbonate of oxide's metal constituents. The pH control agent is nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, or ammonium hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: A pH control agent is added to the seed gel to inhibit formation of precipitates. The coating step is performed by spin coating or dip coating. The film is sintered at low firing temperature of less than 1000degreesC. The nanocrystalline grain size of nanocrystalline ceramic thin film is maintained at up to 1100degreesC. Preferred Components: The seed gel of metal oxide is a sol solution, colloidal suspension, or amorphous gel. The metal oxide is zirconia, ceria, yttrium-stabilized zirconia, nickel oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, strontium oxide, barium oxide, titanium dioxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, zinc oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, tin oxide, lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, samarium oxide, nitride, carbide, or mixed oxide. The source compound for cations is nitrate, chloride, or carbonate of oxide's metal constituents. The pH control agent is nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, or ammonium hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The pH control agent may be citric acid, glycine, or ethylene diamine.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The polymerizable organic solvent is ethylene glycol.