Sputtered gold films in a pure form or as nanocomposites in silica or silicon nitride were screened for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity using Rhodamine 6G as a probe. The films were prepared by sputtering pure gold or solidified Au-Si alloys in plasmas generated in a de glow discharge apparatus. The plasmas were produced with argon, nitrogen, or argon-oxygen as the sputtering gas to directly deposit gold films or in the latter case a Sold oxide intermediate. The alloys produce nanocomposite films in a silicon nitride or silica matrix depending on the plasma gas. SERS activity was detected in some of the films thus leading to a search for the critical parameters that controlled this phenomenon. The films were characterized by profilometry, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. SERS activity was found to be correlated to crystallite size in the 10-25 nm range and to roughness larger than 15 nm, and it was independent of film thickness. Sputtered gold films, particularly those containing the gold as a nanocomposite in silica are attractive media for SERS because of excellent adherence, ruggedness, and simplicity in preparation.