Fabrication of plasmonic silver nanoparticle arrays by laser-induced dewetting of commercial silver paste

•Silver nanoparticle arrays were produced via laser-induced dewetting of silver paste.•The first laser scan produced intermediate silver nanostructures.•The second laser scan transformed the intermediate structures into the arrays.•Silver nanoparticle arrays generated numerous hot spots to show strong SERS signals.•Our fabrication method of laser-induced dewetting is facile and scalable.