A simple method of the reduction of A-NO3 by copper foil in aqueous medium was used to prepare silver dendrites, which can be used as a novel good reproducible Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrate. The SERS spectra of 4-pyridinethiol on this novel substrate reflected the different SERS activities on the Minuteness and strong Ag dendrites. The electromagnetic coupling enhancement and chemical enhancement mechanisms are used to explain the SERS effect. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.