CdS/silica core-shell nanorod was prepared by silica coating over the CdS nanorod template of which the surface was initially capped by (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane. The silica nanotube with both ends closed was fabricated from the core-shell nanorod by selective photoetching of the core CdS nanorod template with controlled photon energy in the oxygen-saturated aqueous solution including methyl viologen. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.