High-quality CdS/TiO2/FTO nanorod-array film photoelectrodes were fabricated by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy method (ECALE). The detailed synthesis process and the surface morphology, structure, composition, optical absorbance property of the products were characterized by electrochemical voltammetry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry, respectively. The results show that the ECALE method can significantly enhance the coverage of CdS quantum dots on TiO2 surface and control the size of CdS quantum dot availably. In comparison with a pure TiO2 nanorod array, the photovoltaic performance of the cell based on the ECALE deposited CdS/TiO2/FTO electrode achieves a maximum short circuit current density of 10.04 mA/cm(2) under one sun (AM 1.5G, 100 mW/cm(2)), which is 5.7 times higher than that of the naked one. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.