Abstract: The object of this invention is to prevent surface discharge even when a high voltage is applied in a dielectric-barrier discharge lamp or a capacitively coupled high frequency discharge lamp with no electrodes in a discharge space. Ribbon foil electrodes 3 are embedded in the wall of a quartz discharge vessel 1. The discharge vessel 1 is disposed such that the foil electrodes 3 face each other on both sides of the axis of the quartz discharge vessel 1. It may be disposed such that the foil electrodes 3 have a truncated V-shaped cross-section. The single tube quartz discharge vessel 1 is filled with discharge gas to form excimer molecules by dielectric barrier discharge or capacitively coupled high-frequency discharge.