Abstract Plasma nitriding is a thermochemical surface heat treatment of steel components to produce nitride layers which increase wear-, corrosion- and fatigue resistance. Research into plasma nitriding lately showed that there is a significant and characteristic amount of ammonia formed off the process gases nitrogen and hydrogen. This research paper is aimed to analyze the influence of plasma treatment parameters, such as pressure, voltage, temperature and nitrogen to hydrogen ratio on the atmosphere and the formation of ammonia during plasma nitriding. The ammonia content is measured in the exhaust gas. By correlating the measured ammonia with the treatment parameters and modeling the nitriding process, the ammonia content can then be predicted. Further a plasma nitriding potential, comparable to the gas nitriding potential, based on ammonia content is calculated and its practicability as process control parameter is shown by correlating the potential with the nitriding results, e.g. the formation of ε and γ’ nitride phases.