The optical emission spectra from expanding low-temperature cascade are plasmas were studied. The objective of this study was to examine the distinctive features of low-temperature cascade are plasmas in comparison with a radio frequency (RF) plasma source. The principal results obtained in this study were. (1) in an expanding cascade are plasma jet, active heavy particles (mainly excited argon or helium neutral species under our operating conditions), rather than electrons, are responsible for the excitation of reactive species when a reactive gas is injected into the plasma jet, (2) the excitation of reactive species was found to be controlled by the electronic energy levels of these excited argon ou helium neutrals, (3) changing the operating parameters affected only the emission intensities of excited species, and no effect on the emission nature of plasmas was observed.