Surface-bound nanowires of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) have been fabricated by an adsorbent-assisted physical vapor deposition method and investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The as-deposited Alq3 nanowires are the single crystals, which are monodispersed. Moreover, the cathode luminescence spectrum of Alq3 nanowires exhibits a strong fluorescence emission at 497nm. The conductive atomic force microscopy images reveal that the current flow along the physically contacted probe increases monotonically with the bias voltage above a critical value of 3.0V. The point current can reach up to 500pA when the bias voltage is set at 5V. The results imply that the surface-bound Alq3 nanowires are of potential in organic photonic and electronic applications.