Nd:YAG‐laser‐induced evaporation of particulates formed in an Ar‐CCl2F2rf plasma and the subsequent discharge in the vapor have been investigatedinsituby means of optical emission spectroscopy. The estimated threshold for discharge formation is 5×106W/cm2. The maximum laser‐induced emission intensity is observed when the laser is operated in the long‐pulse mode (about 200 &mgr;s pulse duration) at the fundamental frequency. The wavelength integrated intensity of this continuum emission has been compared with light scattering intensity at the same laser energy. It has been found that the laser‐induced emission intensity can be more than ten times higher than the scattering intensity, especially for particulates with a diameter much smaller than the wavelength of the laser. Therefore, this effect provides a sensitive particulate detection method.