A variety of plasma-based deposition techniques utilize magnetic fields to affect the degree of ionization as well as for focusing and guiding of plasma beams. Here we use time-of-flight charge-to-mass spectrometry to describe the effect of a magnetic field on the plasma composition of a pulsed Al plasma stream in an ambient containing intentionally introduced oxygen as well as for high vacuum conditions typical residual gas. The plasma composition evolution was found to be strongly dependent on the magnetic field strength and can be understood by invoking two electron impact ionization routes: ionization of the intentionally introduced gas as well as ionization of the residual gas. These results are characteristic of plasma-based techniques where magnetic fields are employed in a high-vacuum ambient. In effect, the impurity incorporation during reactive thin-film growth pertains to the present findings. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.