It is claimed that Vogel started his research into luminescence while he was still in his teens. This research eventually led him to publish his thesis, Luminescence in Liquids and Solids and Their Practical Application, in collaboration with University of Chicago's Dr. Peter Pringsheim in 1943.
Two years after the publication, Vogel incorporated his own company, Vogel Luminescence, in San Francisco. For the next decade the firm developed a variety of new products: fluorescent crayons, tags for insecticides, a black light inspection kit to determine the secret trackways of rodents in cellars from their urine and the psychedelic colors popular in "new age" posters. In 1957, Vogel Luminescence was sold to Ultra Violet Products and Vogel joined IBM as a full-time research scientist. He retired from IBM in 1984.
In 1977 and 1978, Vogel participated in experiments with the Markovich Tesla Electrical Power Source, referred to as MTEPS, that was built by Peter T. Markovich.
He received 32 patents for his inventions up through his tenure at IBM. Among these was the magnetic coating for the 24" hard disk drive systems still in use. His areas of expertise, besides luminescence, were phosphor technology, magnetics and liquid crystal systems.
At Vogel's February 14, 1991 funeral, IBM researcher and Sacramento, California physician Bernard McGinity, M.D. said of him, "He made his mark because of the brilliance of his mind, his prolific ideas, and his seemingly limitless creativity."