Abstract Low-pressure DC plasma discharges sustained in a glow discharge of CH2Cl2 are studied. The plasma conditions were: 1.0 Torr, 20 W and 12 l/min. The electron temperature and ion density were estimated to be 5.47±0.27 eV and (1.57±0.06)×1016 m−3, using a double Langmuir probe. The diagnostic of the species was made by optical emission spectroscopy using a spectrometer. The main species identified were at 339.61, 358.60 and 377.96 nm for C2(c’1Πg–b1Πu); at 392.50 nm for C3(‘Πu–‘); at 431.42 nm for CH(A2Δ–X2Π); at 778.28 nm for Cl; at 657.80 nm for C+; at 471.90 and 487.30 nm for H2; at 380.61 nm for CH+(A’Π–X’Σ) and at 317.73 nm for HCl+(A2Σ–X2Π). Special attention was given to the behavior of material deposited on the electrode and the time discharge dependence was also investigated. The material deposited was analyzed with the aid of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The SEM observation shows an increment in the particle size which is in agreement with the observation of less bands in the infrared spectra. Keywords: plasma surface depositiondichloromethane decompositionoptical spectroscopyFTIRSEM Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to A. González, F. Castillo, I. Puente and José Rangel for technical assistance. This research was partially sponsored by DGAPA IN-105010, CONACyT 128714.