The invention relates to a method and a device for the generation of a plasma through electric discharge in a discharge space which contains at least two electrodes, at least one of which is constructed from a matrix material or carrier material, such that an erosion-susceptible region with an evaporation spot is formed at least by the current flow. To present a method or a device for the generation of a plasma by electric discharge, it is suggested that a sacrificial substrate (38) is provided at least at the evaporation spot, the boiling point of said sacrificial suvstrate (38) during discharge operation lying below the melting point of the carrier material (30), such that charge carriers arising in the current flow are mainly generated from the sacrificial substrate (38).