Semiconductor nanoparticle and method of producing the same

[0041]A 0.1 mol·dm−3 aqueous solution of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate was added to an aqueous solution (metal ion concentration 0.1 mol·dm−3) containing Zn(NO3)2, In(NO3)3, and AgNO3 at a ratio of (1-2x):x:x (in Example 1, x=0.2) to obtain precipitates of diethyldithiocarbamate (complex Zn(1-2x)InxAgx(S2CN(C2H5)2)2) (refer to the equation (1) below). The resultant complex was washed with methanol and dried under a reduced pressure to prepare a powder. Then, 50 mg of the powder was placed in a test tube which was then purged with argon, and heated at 180° C. for 30 minutes under stirring with a magnetic stirrer bar to heat-treat the complex. As the heating temperature, the temperature of an aluminum block surrounding the test tube was measured. As a result, semiconductor nanoparticles (Zn(1-2x)InxAgxS) were produced (refer to the equation (2) below). Then, the semiconductor nanoparticles were cooled to room temperature, and 0.5 g of hexadecylamine was added as an alkylamine. After argo

[0042]Semiconductor nanoparticles chemically modified with hexadecylamine were synthesized by the same method as in Example 1 except that x=0.3 to obtain the semiconductor nanoparticles dispersed in excessive hexadecylamine (solid at room temperature).

[0043]Semiconductor nanoparticles chemically modified with hexadecylamine were synthesized by the same method as in Example 1 except that x=0.5 to obtain the semiconductor nanoparticles dispersed in excessive hexadecylamine (solid at room temperature). In this case, since x=0.5, the semiconductor nanoparticles were represented by In0.5Ag0.5S.