A lighting element with a gaseous tritium light source and an elongated plastic housing that at least partially encloses the gaseous tritium light source with its housing shell and forms a latching element that snaps together with the gaseous tritium light source, which can be inserted into the plastic housing, and holds it in the plastic housing. A rugged lighting element can be produced if the latching element is formed by at least one catch element, which catch element has a radially sprung flexible spring and at least one, preferably two, inwardly oriented snaps with an indentation for snapping together with the gaseous tritium light source.

A lighting element with a gaseous tritium light source and an elongated plastic housing that at least partially encloses the gaseous tritium light source with its housing shell and forms a latching element that snaps together with the gaseous tritium light source, which can be inserted into the plastic housing, and holds it in the plastic housing. A rugged lighting element can be produced if the latching element is formed by at least one catch element, which catch element has a radially sprung flexible spring and at least one, preferably two, inwardly oriented snaps with an indentation for snapping together with the gaseous tritium light source.

An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser source that generates a CW sustaining light and a pump laser that generates a pump. An optical beam combiner combines the CW sustaining light and the pump such that the CW sustaining light and the pump propagate co-linearly. A Q-switched laser crystal generates pulsed light in response to the pump. A gas-filled bulb is configured such that the pulsed light ignites a pulse plasma in a breakdown region of the gas bulb and the sustaining light sustains a CW plasma in a CW plasma region of the gas bulb, thereby emitting a high brightness light from the gas bulb, where the gas-filled bulb is positioned between the output of the pump laser and the pump input of the Q-switched laser crystal such that the CW plasma absorbs the pump light quenching the pulsed light generated by the Q-switched laser crystal.

An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser source that generates a CW sustaining light and a pump laser that generates a pump. An optical beam combiner combines the CW sustaining light and the pump such that the CW sustaining light and the pump propagate co-linearly. A Q-switched laser crystal generates pulsed light in response to the pump. A gas-filled bulb is configured such that the pulsed light ignites a pulse plasma in a breakdown region of the gas bulb and the sustaining light sustains a CW plasma in a CW plasma region of the gas bulb, thereby emitting a high brightness light from the gas bulb, where the gas-filled bulb is positioned between the output of the pump laser and the pump input of the Q-switched laser crystal such that the CW plasma absorbs the pump light quenching the pulsed light generated by the Q-switched laser crystal.

In the excimer lamp according to the present invention, a flat discharge vessel having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and comprising a pair of planar parts and a pair of side-surface parts has a pair of external electrodes disposed on the respective outer surfaces of the planar parts. The end parts of the external electrodes are provided with an auxiliary electrode extending to a region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts. A lead that supplies electricity to the external electrode is connected to the auxiliary electrode in the region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts.

In the excimer lamp according to the present invention, a flat discharge vessel having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and comprising a pair of planar parts and a pair of side-surface parts has a pair of external electrodes disposed on the respective outer surfaces of the planar parts. The end parts of the external electrodes are provided with an auxiliary electrode extending to a region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts. A lead that supplies electricity to the external electrode is connected to the auxiliary electrode in the region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts.

In the excimer lamp according to the present invention, a flat discharge vessel having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and comprising a pair of planar parts and a pair of side-surface parts has a pair of external electrodes disposed on the respective outer surfaces of the planar parts. The end parts of the external electrodes are provided with an auxiliary electrode extending to a region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts. A lead that supplies electricity to the external electrode is connected to the auxiliary electrode in the region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts.

In the excimer lamp according to the present invention, a flat discharge vessel having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and comprising a pair of planar parts and a pair of side-surface parts has a pair of external electrodes disposed on the respective outer surfaces of the planar parts. The end parts of the external electrodes are provided with an auxiliary electrode extending to a region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts. A lead that supplies electricity to the external electrode is connected to the auxiliary electrode in the region that is made smaller than the distance between the planar parts.

A device for emitting ultraviolet light includes at least one excimer lamp and a housing for the excimer lamp(s). Each excimer lamp has a discharge vessel filled with light-emitting gases, and a pair of first and second electrodes that are placed in contact with the discharge vessel and produce a dielectric barrier discharge inside the discharge vessel. The housing is made of an insulating and heat-resistant resin material. The housing is configured to house the excimer lamp(s), and has a light-emitting window that allows light with a center wavelength in a range from 200 nm to 230 nm emitted from the excimer lamp(s) to exit from the housing.

A device for emitting ultraviolet light includes at least one excimer lamp and a housing for the excimer lamp(s). Each excimer lamp has a discharge vessel filled with light-emitting gases, and a pair of first and second electrodes that are placed in contact with the discharge vessel and produce a dielectric barrier discharge inside the discharge vessel. The housing is made of an insulating and heat-resistant resin material. The housing is configured to house the excimer lamp(s), and has a light-emitting window that allows light with a center wavelength in a range from 200 nm to 230 nm emitted from the excimer lamp(s) to exit from the housing.