TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The step of reacting involves heating a solvent containing at least one semiconductor precursor, the phosphine, and the molecular cluster at a first temperature. The process further involves heating the solvent to a second temperature. The step of reacting involves providing gaseous phosphine in a solvent containing the semiconductor precursor and the molecular cluster; or heating adduct of phosphine in a solvent containing the semiconductor precursor and the molecular cluster; or heating a metal phosphide or a Lewis acid-base adduct of phosphine in a solvent containing the semiconductor precursor and the molecular cluster, where the metal phosphide is Na3P, Ca3P, Zn3P or AlP. The method further involves binding a capping agent to the surface of the core semiconductor material. The method further involves forming a second semiconductor material on the surface of the first semiconductor material. Preferred Components: The core semiconductor material is III-V semiconductor material. The semiconductor material comprises In, Ga, Al, or B. The semiconductor material further comprises at least one group IIA, IIB, IVA, or VIA element. The semiconductor precursor is a group III-phosphine, group III-(TMS)3, group III-alkyl, group III-aryl, group III-halide, group III-(myristate)3, group III-(acetate)3 or group III-(acetylacetonate)3. The molecular cluster compound is II-VI molecular cluster compound. The molecular cluster compound comprises zinc and sulfur. The molecular cluster compound is (HNEt3)4(Zn10S4(SPh)16). The second semiconductor material is II-VI semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material is ZnS. EXAMPLE - Preparation of InP-based quantum dots (QDs) was carried out as follows: 50 ml of Therminol 66 (RTM: high performance highly stable synthetic heat transfer fluid), 0.75 g of myristic acid, and 5.87 g of indium myristate at approximately 100 degrees C were placed in a round-bottomed three-necked flask, purged with N2, and degassed under vacuum. Next 1.35 g of ZnS cluster (HNEt3)4(Zn10S4(SPh)16) were added to the flask, which was then degassed under vacuum for 10-15 minutes, then purged with N2. PH3 was added via a dispersion tube at a rate of 5 ml minutes-1 for 10 minutes. The dispersion tube was diluted with N2 at a rate of 500 ml minutes-1. The temperature was increased to 160 degrees C and a further amount of PH3 was added via a dispersion tube, diluted with N2 at a rate of 200 ml minutes-1, at a rate of 5 ml minutes-1 for 38.5 minutes. The temperature was increased to 195 degrees C and a further amount of PH3 was added via a dispersion tube, diluted with N2 at a rate of 100 ml minutes-1, at a rate of 5 ml minutes-1 for 18 minutes. This temperature was maintained for approximately 16 hours before the solution was cooled to room temperature. This procedure resulted in the formation of InP-based QDs.