Custom nixie tube for Keysight Technologies

A custom-designed nixie tube featuring the Keysight Technologies logo, created for their official YouTube channel.

Keysight Technologies, a renowned American manufacturer of electronic test and measurement equipment, reached out to us with a unique request. Daniel Bogdanoff, Director of Product Marketing, proposed the idea of creating a custom nixie tube featuring the Keysight logo—intended for use on the company’s official YouTube channel. The project presented an exciting technical challenge, especially in developing a cathode with a large, evenly glowing area. It became a rewarding opportunity to explore new techniques and push the boundaries of our craft.

Unlike regular nixie tubes, which use digits formed from thin single lines that glow evenly, larger metal surfaces often create uneven illumination—the glow tends to concentrate in specific areas while avoiding others. To overcome this, I experimented with a new approach: designing the cathodes using a honeycomb grid structure, similar to the anode mesh. To my excitement, the idea worked beautifully.