SERS substrate is fabricated using nanoporous anodic alumina membrane decorated by silver nanoparticles, which are self assembled on the surface as well as inside the pores to form a network structure of aligned cylindrical vertical wells creating artificial roughness on the surface of the membrane. When electromagnetic radiation falls on the rough surface, a strong electric field is created due to plasmon excitation on sharp edges of the network structure or at interparticle spacing known as 'hot spots'. This enhanced electric field produces remarkable SERS effect from Raman active R6G molecules attached to silver nanoparticles when excited by a laser source. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.