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A focused ion beam (FIB) is used to process 2-D self-assembled photonic porphyrin film flats to fabricate couplers in 2-D porphyrin slabs. These self-assembled structures have an initial root mean squared (rms) values for surface roughness ≪ 0.5 nm as measured by atomic force microscopy. Under appropriate FIB processing and cutting conditions, the rms value for surface roughness falls to ≪ 0.4 nm.

Self-assembled porphyrin wires are fabricated using various nitroporphyrin molecular units. 5-nitro-10,15,20-triheptylporphyrin is found to give the greatest optical transparency and straights wires. A focused ion beam (FIB) is used to demonstrate milling and shaping of the wires.

Long porphyrin molecular wires presenting optical transparency and light diffraction are fabricated and characterized using optical and atomic force microscopy. The development of dual photonic/electronic self-assembled devices is discussed.