meso-Tetra(4-ferrocenylcarbonyloxyphenyl)porphyrin and its zinc(II) complex were synthesized. Their linear and nonlinear optical properties were investigated using UV-Vis absorption spectra, steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectra and open-aperture Z-scan measurements. The results indicated that the introduction of ferrocene to porphyrin had not affected the absorption spectra of porphyrin, but quenched the fluorescence intensively and shortened the fluorescence lifetimes of porphyrin, which ind...