Suspension plasma spray (SPS) technology develops quickly in the field of thermal spray due to solving the dif-ficulty of transporting nano-powders. The processing principles and characteristics of SPS were introduced and the effects of different processing parameters on the structure of SPS thermal barrier coatings were summarized. Decreasing the fluctuation of arc voltage could enhance the controllability of SPS processing, and lowering down the power of plasma torch and concentration of suspension and increasing spray distance could all achieve the evolvement of dense vertical crack structure to column-like structure. The homogeneity of columns could be enhanced by lowering down the surface roughness. Suspension with reasonable distribution of solute and ethanol as solvent was more likely to obtain a column-like structure. The deposition mechanism of SPS dense vertical crack coatings and column-like structure coatings was concluded. When the surface roughness is kept the same, size and tangential velocity of molten droplets are the key factors that impact the microstructure of coatings, while surface roughness influences column-like structure the most. SPS-8YSZ coating has a relatively good thermal insulation property and thermal cycling lifetime as well as a promising application.