PURPOSE: To perform even emission over all surfaces by providing discharge space that tightly encloses rare gas between two glass plates and then providing conductive face electrodes opposed to the discharge space on respective outer surfaces of both glass plates.

CONSTITUTION: A film-type face electrode 5 on which transparent metal oxide such as tin oxide is baked is provided on the outer surface of a front glass plate 1 comprised with rectangular transparent plate glass. In addition, a transparent or opaque conductive surface electrode 6 is provided on the outer surface of a rear glass plate 2 comprised with the same material. Furthermore, a face-type discharge illuminant is formed by overlapping both glass plates 1 and 2, sealing all circumferential sections, and tightly enclosing rare gas such as neon, argon, or mercury vapor, etc. in discharge space 3 formed between them. As a result, by applying high frequency voltage between face electrodes 5 and 6, the rare gas in the discharge space 3 is excited and emits light and even emission can be obtained over all surfaces.