The present invention relates to an electrical gas-discharge lamp comprising an inner bulb (1) arranged within an outer bulb (2), said inner bulb (1) being filled with a discharge gas and comprising a first electrode (3) and an opposing second electrode (4) having a distance from the first electrode (3) which allows ignition of a gas-discharge by applying an ignition voltage between the electrodes (3, 4). At least one through hole (11) is formed in the feedthrough to the electrically conductive lead (5) to the first electrode (3). An electrically conductive member (10) extents within a space formed between the inner (1) and the outer bulb (2) from a position close to the through hole (11) to a distance from the second electrode (4) which is smaller than the distance between the two electrodes (3,4). When applying the ignition voltage between the electrodes (3,4) an electrically conducting path (12) forms through the through hole (11) between the electrically conductive member (10) and the electrically conductive lead (5) by ionization of the gas in the outer bulb (2). With this transient conductive path the coating (10) forms an active antenna effectively lowering the ignition voltage. The fabrication of the proposed lamp with reduced ignition voltage requires only few additional fabrication steps compared to a lamp without such an ignition aid.

An apparatus and a method for operating a sealed high intensity illumination lamp configured to receive a laser beam from a laser light source. The lamp includes a sealed chamber configured to contain an ionizable medium having a plasma sustaining region, and a plasma ignition region. A high intensity light egress window emits high intensity light from the chamber. A substantially flat ingress window located within a wall of the chamber admits the laser beam into the chamber. The lamp includes means for controlled increasing and decreasing a pressure level within the sealed chamber while the lamp is producing the high intensity illumination.