A method to fabricate porous silicon membranes as thin as 1 micrometer for analysis of transmembrane proteins is detailed. This comprehensive presentation includes: 1) The detailed process to fabricate porous silicon membranes that are supported from the sides. The porous silicon membrane acts as a sieve that separates two compartments. 2) A procedure to deposit a viable and robust synthetic lipid bilayer membrane on the porous silicon, and incorporate transmembrane proteins into it. This procedure includes answers to what technique to use for lipid bilayer deposition, and which lipids to...