A cadmium sulfide nanotube (CdS NT) was successfully fabricated by a two-step route consisting of the template-free electrochemical deposition of cadmium hydroxide films at 298 K and their subsequent sulfurization by S2鈭?/sup> ions. Photo-electrochemical solar cells using a combination of CdS NT, polysulfide (Sx2鈭?/sup>/xS2鈭?/sup>) and carbon electrode exhibited high IPCE (ca. 80%) at 510 nm due to efficient light-harvesting performance.