Laser ablation mass spectrometry (LA-MS) is a powerful diagnostic tool to characterize the ionic species generated upon interaction of a single laser pulse with solid material. The ions generated by laser ablation are analyzed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LA-FTICRMS), and provide useful information about the dynamic processes that occur in the laser-induced gas phase. On the one hand, a comprehensive study of cluster ions generated by laser ablation of several oxide compounds in positive and negative detection mode has been envisaged, From the proposed formation mechanism of the cluster ions (aggregation of neutrals on a precursor ion), we show that this technique also allows to obtain information about neutral species. On the other hand, we applied this technique in order to approach the mechanisms involved in the pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) of PbTiO3 thin films. We also show that LA-MS allows to evaluate the relative contribution of both metals in the oxygen transfer process from the target to the substrate. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.