The novel specific structure of carbon nanotubers (CNTs) and the fascinating heterostructure of carbon nanotubers/metal nanostructure continue to attract attention for potential application and development in science and technology fields. Here, a special structure of CNTs (with small pits or holes on its walls) was fabricated by the combination of adorning the channel of anode alumina oxide (AAO) by electrochemical depositing metal Ag and growing of CNTs by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and their structures details were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation mechanism of this novel structure and its possible potential application are suggested. Furthermore, on the basis of this work, a novel heterostructure of Pt particles and carbon nanotubers was synthesized via similar approach. Regarding the latter, the approach presented here could be further extended to fabricate carbon nanotubes/other metal nanostructures. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.