We demonstrated for the first time the observation of surface enhanced Raman scattering of thiocyanate ion on the roughened Au electrode under ultraviolet laser excitation. Its fruitful information was obtained by an algorithm which enables the elucidation of the bond polarizability (derivative) from the Raman intensity. Together with EHMO calculation, the charge transfer pathway between the adsorbed SCN and An electrode is also proposed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.