VFD Display Enthusiast

Many people have given us a lot of encouragement after seeing our original design of the VFD clock, which is one of the reasons we persist in making VFD clocks.

To help more people learn about this unique and beautiful fluorescent display, we have written this blog.

First, the vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) is an improved version of the vacuum tube.

Blue-white ghost light from the former Soviet Union｜VFD Fluorescent Tube Clock.

Classic “black hat” vacuum fluorescent tubes

The first vacuum fluorescent device was developed by Philips in the 1950s. Later, in 1966, Masaru Nakamura from Ise Electronics in Japan invented the first vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), improving the original tubular design into the rectangular, flat display we are familiar with today.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, this display technology rapidly spread into everyday life, being widely used in cash register displays, car dashboards, audio equipment, calculators, and more.

Panasonic's Vacuum Fluorescent Display Calculator

Nissan 300ZX

The Nissan 300ZX, a popular sports car from the 1980s and 1990s, was one of the vehicles that utilized vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) technology. Its digital dashboard featured a VFD-based instrument cluster, providing a futuristic and highly visible display for speed, fuel level, and other vital car information.

This was a prime example of how VFD technology was integrated into automotive design, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.

Do you remember the first time you saw devices like these?

At first, I didn't know the technical name for this type of screen. I only knew that there was a display with incredibly high resolution, free from any unnecessary artifacts. It always had a three-dimensional, crisp, and almost indescribable sense of order that captivated me. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons why so many people love VFDs.

The rapid and widespread adoption of VFD screens across various fields was primarily due to two key factors. First, LED and OLED technologies had not yet been developed. Second, unlike traditional fluorescent tubes, VFDs support customization—you can design any shape or style you can imagine. In a way, we can consider VFDs as the earliest DIY-friendly display technology, with the ability to use different phosphor colors to create vibrant, custom visuals.

The first VFD screens we encountered were usually fluorescent green or a combination of red and green. But why were other colors so rare? Was it because phosphor materials could only produce green light? Not at all.

The main reason was the aging process of the phosphor. Over time, the phosphor coating on the display would fade due to wear and degradation. This lifespan limitation made it impractical to mix multiple colors on a single display. Early phosphors typically lasted for several thousand to tens of thousands of hours. However, with later improvements—such as addressing cathode poisoning—VFD lifespan increased significantly. Today, modern VFDs can last over 300,000 hours.

Some might argue, "That’s not true! I’ve seen yellow, green, blue, and many other colors of VFD screens, and they last a long time too!" That’s correct—some VFD displays appear in a variety of colors. However, their original emitted light may not have been that color.

For example, a green VFD screen can appear to be a different color by placing a black transparent acrylic layer or colored film over it. This technique alters the perceived color without changing the phosphor itself.

Most of the colors we saw back then deceived us into thinking VFDs were truly multi-colored. In reality, while VFDs can achieve multiple colors, the lifespan issue was a major limiting factor—hence, the workaround of using color filters came into play.

Of course, VFDs offer much more than just this trick. If you know how to program, you can unlock entirely new possibilities with a VFD display. And if you have some artistic skills, you can even create your own unique VFD visuals.

However, with modern display technologies like IPS, LED, and OLED offering higher resolution and better color reproduction, VFD manufacturing has become increasingly rare. Today, very few companies still produce VFDs, making DIY projects with these displays more challenging.

That said, there are always dedicated enthusiasts who find new and creative ways to keep VFDs alive and exciting.