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We have developed a vapor deposition method that produces a highly ionized transient plasma plume of metallic species in the presence of a low-pressure inert or reactive gas glow discharge. In this process, a transient electrical discharge is formed in a hollow-cathode by a pulse-forming network (PFN) which is triggered by a pulsed CO2 laser. Current pulses with peak currents of 100 kA and pulse widths of about 20 ms have been produced by the PFN. The effect of the PFN power input and the ambient gas pressure on the evaporated material yield is presented. These experiments also showed a higher evaporation rate of carbon in a nitrogen ambient than in an Ar ambient. Carbon films, with rates of deposition exceeding 18A per pulse that are uniform over a large area, have been deposited. The ionic content of the plasma, spatial distribution of ions, and plume expansion dynamics have been investigated by time-of-flight ion probe measurements and optical emission spectroscopy and are presented.