Heterostructured ZnO-ZnS core-shell nanotube arrays with the diameters of 50-80 nm and lengths up to 1 m were synthesized by a two-step chemical reaction. First, the ZnO layer was grown by atomic-layer deposition. It was found that the preferred growth orientation was strongly dependent on the substrate temperature. After sulfuration conversion from arrayed ZnO nanorods, the ZnS-ZnO composite arrays can be successfully prepared, as evidenced from transmission electron microscopy. This confirms that the ZnO-ZnS core-shell nanotube-arrayed structure has been fabricated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that the binding energy of S 2p is the same as that of bulk single-crystal ZnS and that the Zn 2p 3/2 peak is shifted about 0.5 eV due to the formation of Zn-S bonds. Photoluminescence shows the relative-intensity ratio of ultraviolet emission ͑I UV ͒ to deep-level emission ͑I DLE ͒ for ZnO / ZnS core-shell nanotubes can be enhanced to be nine times that of original ZnO nanotubes.