TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The chalcogen oxide comprises selenium dioxide. The metal source provides Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sn, Eu, Mn, Pd, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and/or Ag. When the metal source comprises cadmium myristate or cadmium docosanate, the chalcogen oxide comprises selenium dioxide, the metal chalcogenide nanocrystals are CdSe nanocrystals. The reducing agent comprises a reducing solvent. The metal source comprises several different precursors with a common metal or with different metals (preferably with the common metal), where the precursors have different rates of nucleation and crystal growth. The precursors with the common metal are cadmium myristate or cadmium acetate. When the metal source comprises lead oleate, the chalcogen oxide comprises selenium oxide, and the metal chalcogenide nanocrystals are PbSe nanocrystals. When the metal source comprises palladium (II) acetylacetonate, the chalcogen oxide comprises selenium oxide, and the metal chalcogenide nanocrystals are Pd9Se2 nanocrystals.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reducing solvent comprises a 1-alkene, where the boiling point of the 1-alkene is greater than or equal to the highest temperature for the crystal growth. The 1-alkene is 1-octadecene. The solvent further comprises a diol or polyol. The diol is 1,2-hexadecanediol. EXAMPLE - Palladium(II) acetylacetonate (100 mg) and trioctyl phosphine (TOP) (1 ml) were added into a 25-ml three-neck flask. The mixture was gently stirred for 10 minutes, and an orange solution was formed. Then, SeO2 (36.6 mg), 1-octadecene (ODE) (2 ml) and oleylamine (8 ml) were added into the orange solution. At room temperature, the resulting solution was degassed for 5 minutes and then the solution was heated to 250 degrees C. After 10 minutes at the temperature, the synthesis was terminated by cooling the reaction solution to room temperature. The resulting palladium-selenium nanocrystals (Pd9Se2) were precipitated from the reaction solution using acetone, and redispersed in toluene.