A　novel　type　of　172　nm　vacuum　ultraviolet　(VUV)　light　source　was　developed　to　improve　its　efficiency　and　reliability.　The　original　work　is　the　improvement　of　the　electrode　connectors　and　sealing　of　the　magnesium　fluoride　window.　The　impact　of　the　operating　conditions　including　the　waveforms　of　the　driving　voltage,　input　power　and　frequency,　and　pressure,　on　the　characteristics　of　the　discharge　and　light　emission　of　the　VUV　light　source　were　evaluated.　The　results　show　that　the　UV　light　emission　intensity　increases　with　the　increases　of　the　pressure,　driving　voltage　and　frequency.　In　addition,　when　it　comes　to　low　ignition　voltage　and　high　emission　intensity,　square-pulse　outperforms　sinusoidal　voltage.　For　instance,　driven　by　a　square　pulse　at　an　input　power　of　6.8~8.2　W,　the　intensity　is　5.5　times　higher　than　that　driven　by　a　sinusoidal　voltage.