The validity of "sputtering and re-condensation"model in active screen plasma nitriding for nitrogen mass transfer mechanism is investigated. The dominant species including NH, Fe-I, N-2(+), N-I and N-2 along with H-alpha and H-beta lines are observed in the optical emission spectroscopy (OES) analysis. Active screen cage and dc plasma nitriding of AISI 316 stainless steel as function of treatment time is also investigated. The structure and phases composition of the nitrided layer is studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surface morphology is studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and hardness profile is obtained by Vicker's microhardness tester. Increasing trend in microhardness is observed in both cases but the increase in active screen plasma nitriding is about 3 times greater than that achieved by dc plasma nitriding. On the basis of metallurgical and OES observations the use of "sputtering and re-condensation"model in active screen plasma nitriding is tested. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.