CdS nanotubes have been prepared by means of chemical bath deposition (CBD) and nanochannel alumina (NCA) template. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) indicate that the nanotubes are of cubic structure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows the diameters of nanotubes are around 50 nm. Furthermore, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) reveals a clear lattice image of {1 1 1} planes in the wall of a US nanotube. The directional growth of nanotubes is verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It can be expected that the method presented in this letter is also appropriate for the preparation of nanotubes of other semiconductors. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.