This paper presents some results of research on preparing advanced materials over this decade in

Faculty of Physics - Thai Nguyen University of Education. The trends of research are focused on optical nanomaterials which are AIIBVI semiconductor nanocrystals (or quantum dots) basedCdS and  CdSe,  and  photonic  crystals  based  SiO2 nanoparticles.  The  CdSe  and  CdS  quantum  dots prepared via wet chemical method have emission spectra spanning whole visible light with high photostability and  quantum  yield that are suitable  for applications  biomarkers  and  labeling.  The SiO2 nanospheres with the size of several hundred nanometers have been studied for the purpose of fabricating photonic crystals. The SiO2 nanoparticles are also doped with erbium ions in order to  have  infrared  emission.  The  prepared  photonic  crystals  may  lead  to  applications  of  optical communications.