An optical pump source is constructed on the basis of a sectioned low voltage surface discharge in the form of strictly linear plasma channels with a total working length of 42 cm and characterized by a small time scatter of operation (<100 ns) from the individual sections. The velocity of the dissociation wave and the brightness temperature of 15kK in the spectral range 140～170 nm are calculated in terms of the streak photograph of the XeF(C-A) luminescence. Laser radiation on the C A transitions from XeF pumped by this source is obtained.