A fine particle producing process introduces a material for producing fine particles into a thermal
plasma flame to make a vapor-phase mixture and quenches the vapor-phase mixture to form the fine particles. In the process, the material for producing the fine particles is dispersed or dissolved in a dispersion medium or
solvent, preferably containing a combustible material to prepare a dispersion such as a
slurry, a
colloidal solution or a
dissolution solution, the dispersion is made into a form of droplets, or the material for producing the fine particles is dispersed with a carrier gas and a combustible material and the dispersion in a droplet form or the dispersed material is introduced into the thermal
plasma flame. In the fine particle producing process and apparatus, a gas of an amount sufficient to quench the vapor-phase mixture is supplied toward a
tail of the thermal
plasma flame. In the process and apparatus, primary fine particles are introduced into a
cyclone to be subjected to cooling and classification and secondary fine particles having a particle size of 100 nm or less which are left upon removal of coarse particles are recovered.