NOVELTY - Liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex is new.    USE - In preparing photovoltaic cells, in photo-sensitive electric resistor; organic light emitter; in bulk heterojunction cell having homeotropically aligned architecture; double- or multi-layered photovoltaic cell (all claimed); as high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, organic semiconducting materials and organic light emitting materials.    ADVANTAGE - The porphyrin can be aligned into an ordered architecture, in which the columns formed by intermolecular pi-pi stacks are spontaneously perpendicular or parallel on the surface. The ordered architecture is stable within a very wide temperature range and can enhance the charge carrier mobility. The porphyrin or porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex shows a strong tendency towards the formation of homeotrophic alignment. The porphyin or porphyin complex can be aligned to form an ordered architecture. These aligned architectures can facilitate charge transport in the direction along the columns, can be processed to form a large area single crystalline thin film, can respond to external light irradiation by changing their resistivity, and can convert light to electric energy etc. The aligned architecture, which is stable within a wide temperature range, can greatly enhance the charge carrier mobility, and thus can dramatically improve the light induced electric generation. Also, the discotic liquid crystalline porphyrins and metal complexes can be aligned into another ordered architecture, in which the columns formed by intermolecular stack are spontaneously parallel on the surface, i.e. homogenous alignment. The porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex is being used as high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, organic semiconducting materials, and organic light emitting materials.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex of formula (I) or (II) is new.    L = linking group selected from COO, OOC, O, S, COS or NHCO;    M1 = Zn, Co, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mn, Mg, Ce, Ru, Rh, Pt, Au, or a lanthanide metal (which optionally bound to a halogen, O, OH or =CO);    R1, R2, R3 = H, 6-36C linear or branched alkyl groups, 60C (fullerene), 60C derivative, or aromatic moiety.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) preparation (M1) of the crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II);    (2) a blend comprising the liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex and additionally an electron-acceptor material;    (3) a photovoltaic cell including the porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II);    (4) a photosensitive electric resistor and organic light emitter comprising the crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II); and    (5) production (M2) of the photovoltaic cell involving: providing a first transparent electrode and a second electrode; positioning the liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II) between the first and second electrodes; and aligning the porphyrin homeotropically;    (6) a bulk heterojunction cell having homeotropically aligned architecture comprising a blend of the liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II) and an electron-acceptor comprising 60C, 60C derivative, dye and/or carbon nanotube; and    (7) a double- or multi-layered photovoltaic cell comprises: a donor layer comprising a homeotropically aligned liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II) or a homeotropically aligned blend comprising the liquid crystalline porphyrin or porphyrin metal complex (I) or (II); and acceptor layer comprising 60C, 60C derivative, dye and/or carbon nanotube.