In order to acquire a broadband absorption spectrum in a single shot, a compact radiation source was developed by using a Z-pinch type electric discharge. This paper presents the mechanical and electrical construction of the source, as well as its electrical and optical characteristics, including the intense continuum of radiation emitted by the source in the UV and visible spectral range. It also shows that the compactness of the source allows direct coupling with the probed medium, enabling broadband absorption measurement in the spectral range of 200e300 nm without use of an optical fiber which strongly attenuates the light in the short wavelength range. Concretely, thanks to this source, broadband spectral absorption of NO molecules around 210 nm and that of OH molecules around 310 nm were recorded in this direct coupling arrangement. Copper atom spectral absorption around 325 nm of the peripheral cold zones of an intense transient arc was also recorded. Copyright ? 2016 Science and Technology Information Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).