Silver substrates have been obtained, by depositing silver colloidal nanoparticles on a roughened silver plate treated with 1,10-phenanthroline, and checked by means of AFM microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The ligand molecules are located between two silver substrates and undergo the SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering) enhancement of both the roughened silver plate and the silver colloidal layer deposited on it. These SERS-active substrates, which show the advantages of being stable with respect to the metal colloidal suspensions, along with an easy and reproducible preparation, can be very useful for catalytic and analytical applications of the SERS spectroscopy. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.