Light scattering is a monitoring method which enables in-situ controlling and studying of polycrystalline thin film deposition processes. One advantage of light scattering is that it is flexible in the location of the light source and the detector, which allows a certain margin in the substrate position or in the physical configuration of the deposition system. We have made a systematic investigation on the signal level of the laser light scattering on the case of a typical Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 three-stage deposition process. Relationship between the distribution of the scattered light and the film structure was investigated. Generic suggestions for physical setup of light scattering systems have been described. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.